More Than Meets The Eye
by madeleine68
Summary: Alex Cabot is starting at a new school and meets tough Olivia. Olivia has a secret . . . will Alex be able to befriend her and help her before it's too late? THE LAST CHAPTER IS UP! Please review.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: This kind of explores a less traditional view of Olivia's childhood, so if it offends you, don't read.**

**If you want more, please review!**

Alex Cabot ran a hand anxiously through her long blonde hair as she stared up at her new school. It was the first time she'd be going to a public school – for the last eight years, her parents had sent her to the best boarding school money could buy, but Alex had begged them to let her come home and try a 'real' school for grade nine.

So there she stood in the parking lot with her designer outfit and $400 Gucci purse slung over her shoulder, wondering if this was a mistake.

She noticed four or five boys who looked to be seniors, juniors at least, sitting on the curb, smoking cigarettes. Sitting between the boys was a girl who looked to be about Alex's age, maybe a year younger, with big chocolate eyes. She was wearing an oversized black sweatshirt and ripped track pants, her shoulder-length brown hair hanging in her face. She took a drag on her own cigarette, but there was something in those chocolate eyes that made Alex wonder about her and want to get to know her better.

The bell rang and the boys ground out their cigarettes. The girl, though, continued to smoke unperturbedly.

"Hey, Benson," called one of the boys, a muscular African-American. "You're gonna be late."

She punched him lightly in the shoulder though he was at least twice her size. "Fuck off."

The other boys chuckled good-naturedly and so did Alex. She found it amusing to her such vulgar street talk coming from a girl her own age.

They all stopped laughing and the girl whirled around to glare at Alex. "What are _you _laughing at?"

The boys grinned at her and scampered off as she stubbed out her cigarette and started toward Alex, who hastily wiped the grin off her face. "Nothing."

The girl looked at her appraisingly, taking in the perfectly coordinated outfit and platinum blonde hair, not a single strand out of place. "You new here?"

Alex nodded and held out her hand. "My name's Alex Cabot. It's nice to meet you."

The girl rolled her eyes at Alex's outstretched hand, "Benson. Olivia Benson. What do you have first?"

Alex took out her schedule. "Um, French."

"With Brailin? I do, too. She's a bitch – hates my guts. Wanna walk with me?"

Alex just stood there, gaping.

Olivia snapped her finger under Alex's nose. "Cabot! You coming?"

Alex nodded and followed Olivia to the French room and sat down next to her.

"Olivia, take off your coat," said the woman at the front of the room without even turning around.

Olivia groaned. "It's a _sweatshirt_."

"I don't care. Take it off."

She rolled her eyes. "See?" she muttered to Alex as she removed the sweatshirt.

Alex was drawn to a fading purple bruise on Olivia's neck. "What happened to your –?"

"Nothing," snapped Olivia, raising her hand to cover the mark. "Leave me alone!"

Alex drew back, putting her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. Calm down."

Olivia gritted her teeth. "Don't tell me to calm down."

She turned away in disgust as their teacher started to walk around the room collecting homework. She stopped at Olivia's desk. "Where's your homework?"

"I forgot it."

"For two _weeks_?"

"I _said _I did it and I forgot it," growled Olivia.

"My hearing's fine. It's your homework that's not."

Alex could see that this was a power struggle they had daily. She didn't know what to make of the mysterious Olivia. Alex could tell there was something she was holding back, a secret she hid from the world, but she didn't know what it was.

Olivia shrugged. "I'll bring it for tomorrow."

"Olivia Benson, that isn't good enough. I've given you two weeks of leeway and now I'm fed up. I'm going to call your mother."

"Don't!" exclaimed Olivia, her chocolate eyes flashing. It took Alex a moment to recognize the expression on her face, but then she did – it was fear.

"You should have thought of that before, Olivia."

"I'll have it for tomorrow!"

"I'm sure you will. Your mother will make sure of it."

Olivia closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "Bitch," she muttered to her teacher's retreating back.

Ms. Brailin didn't even turn around. "Detention, Olivia. One more word and I'll make it a week's worth."

Olivia turned to Alex but didn't say anything else until her teacher was out of earshot. "She really has it in for me."

"You shouldn't have called her a bitch," replied Alex, realizing the second the words were out of her mouth that this was the wrong thing to say.

"Right," said Olivia sarcastically. "It's my fault. It's always my fault." She turned away and refused to speak to Alex for the rest of the class.

* * *

Olivia and Alex had the next class, gym, together. Alex started for the change room but Olivia didn't follow. She turned back. "Are you coming?"

Olivia shook her head. "I don't _do _gym."

"Is that allowed?" asked Alex.

Olivia shrugged nonchalantly. "Probably not, but there ain't nothin' they can do about it."

Alex changed into her gym clothes before coming back out to the gym where she saw Olivia leaning against the wall, twiddling her thumbs. Alex debated saying something to her, but she didn't want to seem too prissy, so instead she turned and sat down on a bench. She was picked last for the soccer team – no one wanted the new girl to be with them.

* * *

At lunch, Alex sat by herself, reading a book and pretending she didn't care, though she did. She didn't like being alone.

"Yo, Cabot!" called a voice from the other side of the cafeteria. "What are you doin'? Come sit with us."

Alex got up and made her way to the table where Olivia was sitting with the group of seniors. She gingerly pulled out a seat next to Olivia and sat down.

"Hey, guys, this is Alex Cabot. She's new. She's in some of my classes," said Olivia.

A tall, thin boy with dark hair raised his eyebrows. "You made a friend, eh, Benson?"

She punched him lightheartedly on the shoulder. "Screw you."

"Screw you," he replied.

Everyone laughed. Alex giggled uncomfortably, not knowing how to react to these older boys who swore like sailors.

The boy smiled at Alex. "I'm Elliot. This is Fin, Chester, John, and Brian."

"Hi," she said shyly. "It's nice to meet you."

Chester laughed. "Why would someone as prim as you wanna be friends with our Benson?"

"Shut up," said Olivia, grinning.

Alex didn't understand their casual banter but she laughed along with them. But she couldn't help but think that her parents would _not _be pleased with her new group of friends.

* * *

"How was your day, Alexandra?" asked her mother after school.

"It was fine, Mother," replied Alex.

"Did you make any friends?"

Alex hesitated. "Yes. Her name is Olivia."

"That's nice. Why don't you have her over this weekend? I would like to meet this new friend of yours."

"Maybe," said Alex, thinking to herself, _No way!_

"Go upstairs and do your homework now, Alexandra," said her mother. "Your father and I are going out for the evening. Have the cook make you something when you get hungry."

"Yes, Mother."

Alex retreated to her room and turned on her computer. She emailed some of her old friends from her boarding school and played a couple rounds of solitaire. Then she took out a book and read three chapters before setting it down in frustration.

She couldn't get Olivia out of her head.

**If you want the next chapter, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want to read more, please leave a review!**

Olivia sat at a desk in the French room, kicking her legs. "Can I go now?" she asked for what must have been the hundredth time. She was intent on making her French teacher's life miserable for giving her detention.

"No," snapped the teacher. "You're going to stay for another twenty minutes."

Olivia traced her fingers mindlessly over the names etched into her desk and blew an obnoxious bubble with her gum.

"Stop it!"

"Why?" asked Olivia calmly. "I thought you wanted my company."

"Go home, Olivia," said her teacher with a sigh. "Just don't let this happen again."

Olivia raced out the door and ran all the way home. She unlocked her apartment door and went into the living room, planning to do a quick job of the French so she wouldn't get into any trouble the next day, but she stopped short when she saw that her mother was sitting on the couch with her new boyfriend, Jason, drinking a bottle of vodka. Olivia tried to sneak out of the room but they'd already noticed her.

"Hello, Olivia," said Jason. "Why aren't you wearing the new clothes I got you?"

"They're against the dress code," she muttered.

"But you look so pretty in them," he countered.

She probably did, but Olivia had never tried them on. He had bought her four or five really skimpy outfits the previous week – miniskirts and spaghetti straps and tube tops. She refused to wear them, recognizing his ulterior motives. She didn't want to turn him on by parading herself out like a prostitute.

"Some sit with me, baby," said Jason, reaching out to put his hand on Olivia's arm.

She yanked her arm away. "Don't you touch me!"

"Olivia!" said her mother. "Apologize to Jason."

Olivia ducked her head. "I have homework."

Jason laughed. "Go. I'll be seeing _you _later."

Olivia cringed and clenched her fists. She turned on her heel and ran from the room.

* * *

Jason came into her room about an hour later. "Get away from me," she snarled.

"I just came for –"

"I know what you came for!"

"So let's get to it."

"Fuck off."

He smacked her, hard, across the face. "That's enough out of you, bitch!"

It took all her willpower not to clutch her burning cheek. "Screw you."

His smile widened. "I will." He reached out his hand and began to rub her back.

She shied away. "Don't touch me!"

Jason grabbed her and threw her onto the bed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. If you struggle, you _will _get hurt, maybe even worse. And I don't think there's one person in this whole damn world who'd give a shit."

Olivia gritted her teeth. She hated the way this man could always make her feel so vulnerable and helpless. No, not _feel_. When she was with him, she _was _vulnerable and helpless.

She stopped struggling as he tore at her clothes, ripping them from her body as if he was a hungry lion and she was his prey. He ran his hands up and down her body, touching _everything_. She closed her eyes and willed it to be over.

**Review for more!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want more, please review!**

The next morning, as her driver was dropping Alex off at school, the group of boys that Olivia hung out with were smoking on the curb again. "Hey, Alex," called one of them – Elliot. "You seen Benson?"

She shook her head. "No. Have you?"

"No."

She entered the building and went into the washroom to reapply her makeup. She took out her eyeshadow and started to put it on when she heard the sound of muffled sobbing. She stopped what she was doing and listened hard. Sure enough, someone was sitting in one of the stalls, crying. Looking under the door, she recognized Olivia's battered tennis shoes.

"Olivia," she called. "Are you okay?"

"Go away," ordered Olivia, but then she burst into another round of sobbing that seemed to negate her words.

"Olivia, what happened?"

"Fuck off, Cabot."

"Olivia –"

"You don't understand, Cabot. Just get lost. Leave me alone."

Alex was torn. She didn't want to upset Olivia but she did want to help her. "I'm not going anywhere, Olivia."

Olivia unlocked the door and stomped out of the stall. "_Fuck off_."

Alex grabbed Olivia's shoulder and turned her around so she was facing her. Olivia cringed and shied away, but Alex had an iron grip. She took in Olivia's swelling black eye and the new bruise on her cheek, and these were only the visible ones. "Olivia, what happened?"

Olivia pulled away from Alex, wiping tears from her face. "Leave. Me. Alone. I don't want to talk to you. I don't need your help. You don't get it. You're just a stuck-up, prissy, spoiled rich girl."

Alex recoiled as if she'd been slapped in the face. "Is _that _what you think?"

Olivia sank to the ground, the fight gone. "No. No, it's not."

"So what happened?"

"Why should I tell you? I've known you for, like, one day and you think you're gonna be my hero and change my life? Fat chance."

Alex sighed. "Okay, fine. I can't force you to talk to me." She turned and started to leave.

"Alex?"

She turned back to Olivia. "Yes?"

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

She smiled. "A prosecutor. I'll put away the bad guys so they'll never be able to hurt anyone ever again."

Olivia seemed to be considering this, then she said, "You'd be good at that."

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

She sighed. "I don't think I'm going to get that far."

Alex knelt down in front of Olivia and looked her right in the eye. "Tell me what happened, Olivia."

She closed her eyes. "You really want to know?"

Never one to make a rash decision, Alex considered this. "Yes, I do."

Olivia began to cry again. "I feel so _dirty_! He c-came into my room and he – he t-touched me all over just like he does every night. Been here before but not like this. Never like this. Since I was little, my mom always had men coming and going and some of them . . . took advantage." She was aware that she was rambling, babbling, not making much sense, but she continued anyway. "They don't love me. In the beginning they said it was love and that was why they did it but then I got older and smarter and I knew the truth. But my mom – she's no better. She knows; she doesn't care. She's worse than them 'cause she's my _mom_. She hurts me. She hits me. So do they. Always. Look."

She took off her sweatshirt. She was wearing a tank top underneath, revealing a series of bruises, cuts, welts, and burns. There wasn't an inch of her body that wasn't covered in a mark of some sort.

Alex didn't know what to say. There were no words for this. It occurred to her that this was what she'd have to deal with as a prosecutor when she got older, but she didn't know what to do now. So she did all she could do. She sat down next to her friend and put her arms around her. Olivia flinched at first but didn't pull away.

Alex didn't know how long they stayed like that for. It could have been two minutes or two hours. It felt like two years and two seconds all at once.

Finally, Olivia broke the silence. "So," she said, trying to insert some disdain into her voice. "What are you gonna do now, Cabot?"

Alex thought about it. "I don't know."

"Aren't you gonna run to mommy and daddy and have them try to save poor, helpless little Olivia?"

"No," said Alex. "I'm not."

"Why not? Scared they'll send you back to some school for filthy rich kids?"

"Stop it," snapped Alex. "I'm not going to tell anyone."

Olivia looked at the ground. "So . . ."

"So, do you want to stay with me tonight?"

Olivia smirked. "Oh, please. Your parents would kick me out of the house and then murder you."

"No, they wouldn't," said Alex, almost sadly. "They probably wouldn't even notice."

Olivia looked at Alex. "If your mom doesn't notice, my mom will. She'll _freak out_."

"If you don't want to –"

"No, I do, Alex," said Olivia softly, drained of her fire. "Thanks."

**Review if you want the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want to read the next chapter, please review!**

After school, Alex met Olivia by her locker. The two girls went out to the front of the school.

"Are we walking?" asked Olivia.

Alex shook her head. "No, our driver's coming."

Olivia's eyes widened. "You have a _driver_?"

Alex nodded and added, with a touch of contempt, "That's the Cabot family for you. We have to have the best of everything."

Olivia shrugged. "I wouldn't mind it."

Alex gave her a rueful smile. "Believe me, you would."

The limousine showed up just then and a man held open the door for them. "Hello, James," Alex said to her chauffer.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Good. This is my friend Olivia."

He held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Olivia."

The two girls climbed into the limousine.

They were silent on the ride home until they reached Alex's house. Olivia's jaw dropped when she saw it. "_That _is your _house_?"

Alex nodded.

It was an amazing house. It was a huge, old-style mansion with a large courtyard and servant's quarters that were larger than Olivia's small apartment.

Alex led Olivia into the kitchen. She had an actual cook who was making dinner and greeted the girls when they entered the room.

"Hi," said Alex. "This is my friend Olivia. What do you want to eat, Liv?"

Olivia started at the nickname. No had ever called her _Liv _before; the only nickname she'd ever gone by was _Benson_. "Um, I don't know."

"I just want a banana." She reached over and took one for each of them. "Come on. I'll show you my room."

Olivia gaped at Alex's room like a child in a candy store. Alex's room was huge. She had a canopy bed, her own widescreen television and laptop computer. She had a stereo system, an iPod, and a multitude of CDs. Her closet was larger than Olivia's entire bedroom and it was full of designer outfits.

"Liv, no offence, but it might be better if you . . . got changed. I'll lend you some clothes," said Alex, feeling a bit uncomfortable at having to make the request.

Olivia understood. She followed Alex to the closet and watched her friend rummage around for something that would fit Olivia. She finally found an Armani blouse and a Dolce and Gabbana skirt for Olivia, who made a face. "No way in hell am I wearing a _skirt_."

Alex shrugged calmly. "Well, it's probably the only thing in this closet that will fit you and isn't too revealing for you. Sorry, I know it sounds shallow, but my parents care a lot about this kind of thing."

Olivia sighed. "Okay, I'll change." She turned away from Alex and put on Alex's clothes. As she took off her own clothes, Alex could see the marks and bruises that covered her arms and trailed down her back, all the way down to her legs.

Olivia noticed Alex staring and hastened to finish changing. She rolled her clothes up into a ball and stuffed them into her backpack. Then she perched on Alex's soft bed and didn't say anything.

"What do you want to do?" asked Alex.

"I don't know," replied Olivia.

"Do you want to watch a movie?"

Olivia shrugged. "Sure. What do you have?"

She took out three binders full of at least a hundred movies. "Take your pick."

Olivia laughed and started leafing through the movies. She finally selected one and Alex popped it into the DVD player. She climbed onto the bed and laid her head on a pillow.

Thirty minutes later, they heard a knock on the door. Alex paused the video and called out, "Come in."

The door opened and a slender blonde woman carrying a Louis Vuitton purse entered the room. "Hello, Alexandra. Is this your friend?"

"Yes, Mother. This is Olivia."

She pursed her lips appraisingly, then said, "It's nice to meet you, Olivia."

"It's nice to meet you too," replied Olivia politely.

"Dinner at seven, Alexandra. Your father will be eating with us."

"Yes, Mother."

As Mrs. Cabot left, Olivia and Alex exchanged glances. "I totally get it about your mom, Cabot," said Olivia with a sly grin.

* * *

Alex and Olivia sat through a three hour dinner with the Cabots, having course after course of food Olivia just picked at. She was a picky eater and didn't like most of the fancy, rich food they were having, yet she had never seen so much food in her entire life! All for four people. The most surprising thing was how much they wasted. There were huge bowls of everything that were returned to the kitchen still half full and Olivia got the feeling this family never had leftovers. She resisted the urge to ask for some of the food to take home.

Alex was bored after an hour of polite chatter and, glancing at Olivia, she could tell her friend felt the same way. She wanted to ask to be excused but she knew her parents would disapprove and deny her request.

They finally finished at 10:00. Alex and Olivia were both stuffed.

"Get into your pajamas, girls," said Mrs. Cabot. "Don't stay up too late."

Olivia checked her watch and her eyes widened. "Oh, my God. I wasn't planning on staying for a sleepover! My mom'll be upset when I don't come home."

"It's fine, Liv," said Alex. "Stay."

"I can't."

"Come on," said Alex, taking Olivia's hand and leading her back upstairs. "She won't care. Stay with me tonight. Stay safe tonight."

Olivia sighed and stopped trying to fight it. "Okay. I'll stay. I just don't wanna get my ass kicked later."

Alex perched on the edge of her bed and changed the subject. "Go pick out a nightgown or pajamas or something. My mom will be upset if we're not changed when she comes in to say goodnight."

Olivia snickered. "Your mom still comes in to say goodnight?"

"Yes." Seeing Olivia's expression, she added, "It's kind of annoying sometimes."

"No," said Olivia wistfully, a look of sadness crossing her face. "Your mom isn't that bad."

"Compared to yours, my mom's a saint."

Olivia rolled her eyes and Alex had the good sense not to press the issue. She went to the closet and took out a nightgown for herself and tossed a pair of pajamas to Olivia. They changed quickly and Alex set up a mattress for Olivia next to her bed.

Olivia climbed up onto Alex's bed at sat down next to her friend. They sat in silence for a few moments before Olivia said, "Alex, why did you come home from boarding school?"

Alex shrugged. "I just didn't like it there. I didn't really fit in. I missed my parents and I didn't like the fact that every girl there is a typical spoiled rich girl. You think I'm bad? Try looking at thirty girls with Louis Vuitton purses, Valentino, Gucci, Prada, Armani, all that, bleached blonde hair, getting plastic surgery at the age of ten. They have no ambition, no goals, nothing. Their future is money, that's it. They live in their own little worlds. Me, I want to do something, be someone when I grow up. I'm going to be a prosecutor and I'm going to help people who've been hurt and make sure no one ever hurts them again. I see the real world but these girls – they don't know and they don't care. They've never been to the Lower East Side, Harlem, Chinatown . . . they've never even left the Upper East Side when they were in New York! The school's in London and it's pretty secluded."

Olivia gave her a wry smile. "That sounds pretty bad."

"Not necessarily. It's fine for some people. Just not me."

Olivia lay down, propping her head up on her elbow, and nodded.

"My turn," said Alex. "Why do you hang out with those guys?"

She laughed. "You mean Elliot and his gang?"

"Yes. They're _seniors_. What on earth do you have in common with them?"

Olivia shrugged. "El and I have been friends since we were kids. He's the only one – other than you – that knows about my mom. He lives across the street."

"Does he know about your mom's boyfriends?"

Olivia's face closed off. "No. And you're not gonna tell him."

"Of course not," Alex assured her.

"Well, Elliot let me hang out with his friends when I started high school 'cause I don't have a lot of friends. I hang with them. They're cool guys. Especially Elliot."

"Do you like him?"

She rolled her eyes. "As a _friend_. He's the best friend I ever had – really the only friend. Until now. Anyways, he's _got _a girlfriend, Kathy."

"Is she nice?"

"Yeah."

The girls heard a knock on the door. "Come in," called Alex.

Her mother opened the door and walked in. "Are you girls ready for bed?"

Alex nodded. "Goodnight, Mother."

Mrs. Cabot gave Alex a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Alexandra. Goodnight, Olivia. Sleep well, girls." She turned and left the room.

Olivia sighed and jumped off Alex's bed. She climbed onto the mattress and laid her head down on her pillow. "'Night, Alex," she said sleepily.

"Goodnight."

Alex turned off the lights and for the first time in as long as she could remember, Olivia fell asleep without having to worry about a man coming into her room and touching her in places he shouldn't.

Alex, though, tossed and turned in her bed, worrying about her friend and wondering how, or even if, she could do anything to help.

**Review for more!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want more!**

Alex started awake around two in the morning. She heard the sound of a toilet flushing and then muffled crying. She sat up in bed. "Olivia?" She looked down and noticed that her friend wasn't in bed.

Alex got up and padded toward the washroom, where she saw Olivia bent over the toilet seat, puking her guts out. Tears were streaking down her face as she threw up last night's dinner, lunch, breakfast, and probably the previous day's meals too.

Alex put her hand on Olivia's shoulder. "Liv?"

Olivia turned around, her eyes round with fear. She shied away from Alex and cried out, then pressed her hands over her mouth, her eyes glassy and unfocussed. She seemed not to recognize Alex for a moment, but then she did, and burst into a fresh round of sobbing.

"Liv, are you okay?" asked Alex, rubbing her friend's back comfortingly as Olivia leaned back over the toilet. "Are you sick?"

Olivia shook her head. "No, I'm –" She was going to say, "Fine," but she interrupted herself when more vomit rose in her throat.

Alex was starting to get frightened. "Liv. Liv, do you want me to go get someone? Are you all right? Are you ill?"

Olivia faced Alex, tears running down her cheeks. "No, I just – I had a bad dream. I'm okay." But she leaned back over the toilet and threw up one more time, contradicting her own words. She began to sob again. "Fuck!"

Alex looked skeptical. "What was the dream about?"

"Jason. He was touching me. He was raping me. That was my dream," Olivia said matter-of-factly, her voice devoid of all emotion.

Alex understood the disgust her friend was feeling, the revulsion that physicalized itself in this form. She reached out and put her arm around Olivia, who flinched, but after a moment leaned into Alex and hugged her back. Alex could feel the tension in her shoulders start to dispel as she rubbed her friend's back comfortingly.

"Liv," she whispered. "It's okay. He's not here. He's not going to hurt you. It's just you and me tonight."

That only made Olivia cry harder, her thick shell finally penetrated. "I know," she choked out. "I know. It's the first night in years that no one's come into my room – no one's touched me – no one's hit me – no one's even yelled at me today. It's like a dream." As corny as it sounded, it was the truth.

Alex put her arm around Olivia and started to guide her gently back to the bedroom. She started to lay her friend down on the mattress but Olivia clung to Alex, refusing to let go. She climbed up onto the bed next to her and curled up in a ball.

"Are you okay, Liv?" whispered Alex.

"I'm fine." She looked at Alex and gave her a weak smile at the sudden realization. "For the first time in fourteen years, I'm fine."

Olivia fell into a fitful slumber, the first night she hadn't cried herself to sleep in years. Alex, though, couldn't sleep. She turned on her side and spent the night watching her friend sleep. Every so often, Olivia would sit up in bed with tears streaming down her face, murmuring, "Please, please don't touch me!" or, "That hurts! Don't do that!" Alex would gently shake her awake, which would inevitably set Olivia off again. She would apologize over and over and Alex would dismiss the apology over and over until Olivia was drained of her fire and lay back down on the bed, sobbing quietly until she fell back asleep.

**Review for chapter six!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want chapter seven!**

The next morning, Alex lent Olivia another one of her outfits. Olivia smirked. "El's gonna die when he sees me wearin' designer labels!"

Alex stifled a yawn and nodded. "I'd pay real money to see the look on his face."

Olivia's grin disappeared. "Sorry about last night, Lex. I didn't mean to keep you up."

Alex started at the nickname. Her parents always called her Alexandra and her friends usually called her Alex. She smiled. "It's fine, Liv."

* * *

When they reached the school, Alex and Olivia noticed the boys smoking their cigarettes on the curb, a couple of girls hanging around them. Fin was sitting next to a girl with dark skin and curly black hair. A redheaded girl was smoking her own cigarette next to Chester. Elliot had his arms around a girl with dirty blonde hair and a friendly smile. Alex assumed this was Kathy.

Elliot's jaw dropped when he saw Olivia decked out in Alex's outfit. He let go of Kathy and turned to her. "Benson, what the hell are you _wearing_?"

Fin punched Elliot lightly in the shoulder. "Stabler, she actually looks like a girl today!"

"I know you haven't noticed, but that's what she is," added Chester.

"Screw off," called Olivia playfully. "I spent the night at Alex's house. She lent me some clothes."

The redhead raised her eyebrows. "Wow, rich girl."

"Shut up, Novak," snapped Olivia. "Alex is my friend."

"Okay, okay," said Elliot, raising his hands in mock surrender. "See you at lunch, Benson?"

"Yeah, Stabler. See you at lunch."

She turned back to Alex and groaned. "French time. Be prepared for the bitch to be on my case and yours for hanging with me."

Alex smiled. "That's okay. I'm good at French."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "What aren't you good at?"

Alex shrugged. "Um, gym. And making friends."

"Why? Wait, no, let me guess. Everyone's jealous. You're blonde, you're pretty, you're rich, you're smart. I have those same problems," she quipped.

Alex laughed. "I can imagine."

Olivia and Alex sat down in the French classroom.

"I'm glad you decided to grace us with your presence," commented their teacher to Olivia. "I talked to your mother, Olivia. Do you know what she said?"

"What, you think I have ESP or something now? I ain't gonna know till you tell me."

"Your mother told me that you didn't come home last night. She's very worried about you and wants you to give her a call."

Olivia muttered something that could have easily been, "Like hell she is."

Their teacher frowned. "Call your mother, Olivia, and that'll be another day's detention."

"I was staying with a friend last night," snapped Olivia. "What, is that against the law now? 'Cause my friend Alex here, she's gonna be a lawyer. Alex, is it illegal for me to stay at your house?"

Alex wanted to tell Olivia to leave her out of this. She was peevish from lack of sleep and knew her temper would get the better of her and she didn't want to start her time here off on the wrong foot. But this was her friend, who'd been through so much in her short life. So she fixed the French teacher with an icy glare and said coolly, "No, it's not."

"Alexandra, this doesn't concern you," snapped Ms. Brailin.

"On the contrary," replied Alex, trying to keep her irritation in check. "This is my friend and so it _does_ involve me."

"Olivia, go call your mother or else I will," threatened the teacher.

"Fuck off," snapped Olivia without even thinking.

Ms. Brailin's face contorted in rage and she reached her hand out to grasp Olivia by the shoulder.

Olivia flinched and shied away. "Don't touch me!"

The teacher grabbed Olivia and pulled her up from her desk. "You're coming with me, young lady."

When she returned ten minutes later, Olivia wasn't with her.

**If you want more, review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want more, please review!**

"Where's Olivia?" asked Alex.

"I called her mother," replied Ms. Brailin. "She went home."

Alex's eyes widened. "No!"

* * *

"Where were you, bitch?" growled Serena Benson. "Jason was out all night looking for you!"

"I'm sure he was," muttered Olivia.

Serena smacked her daughter hard across the face. "You're in enough trouble already, slut. Bet that's where you were – with a guy. Whore like you."

Olivia knew enough not to say anything as Jason entered the room. He wrapped his arms around Olivia, who stiffened in his grasp. "We missed you, Olivia," he said, smirking.

She pulled away. "Get your filthy hands off me."

He slapped her and lifted her up. "You're coming with me," he growled.

She pounded on his back. "Put me down! Let go of me."

He carried her into her bedroom and laid her down on the bed. "We are going to have our little rendezvous now, babe. You thought you could hide from me, but you can't. Ooh, this is going to be so good, baby."

She kneed him in the crotch and started to run as he doubled over in pain, but he recovered too quickly and threw her back down on the bed.

He pressed the barrel of his pistol to the side of her head. "You're gonna stay still or God help me, I will shoot you."

Olivia knew he'd do it, too. So she didn't squirm or wriggle or try to escape again. She closed her eyes and lay comatose until he was finished.

He got up and in that one moment Olivia seized her chance. The gun was lying on the bed, mocking her, inviting her. She picked it up and saw the surprise flash in Jason's eyes.

She didn't think twice. She raised the gun and shot three times, unloading the bullets into her rapist's head.

**Review for chapter eight!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want more, please review!**

Alex got the phone call around 5:00. "Lex," whimpered Olivia. "I need you to come over. Now. I did something bad and I need your help."

She didn't even ask what. "I'm on my way."

She ran downstairs and out the door. "James, I need you to take me to 189, East 44th Street. Olivia's in trouble."

* * *

When Alex knocked on the door, Olivia answered, white as a sheet. There were fresh bruises on her face and arms and her eye was starting to blacken and swell. She led Alex into the family room where bottles were strewn all over the place. Suddenly, she felt as if her feet could no longer support her and fell into Alex's arms. "Lex, oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God, Lex."

"What happened, Olivia?" asked Alex.

"I killed Jason," she whispered. "Oh, Alex, Alex, he got so angry. They both did. They were hitting me, hitting me over and over and over and over. And he took me to my room and he pulled off my clothes and he – he raped me. He had his gun and he said she'd shoot me if I didn't let him so I did but then there was the gun and it was right on the bed and it was just there and I was looking at it and I knew this was my chance and I lifted it up and I shot the bastard. I shot the fucking bastard!" she shrieked, then burst into tears. "My mom ran, ran to me, ran to him, tried to wake him, he was dead. She hit me. She wouldn't stop. She put her cigarette out on my arm – look." She showed Alex the fresh mark. It made Alex sick to see, but she couldn't tear her eyes from the gruesome sight. "Then she left. She said she was never coming back. Oh, Lex, Lex, Lex! I killed him! I killed the bastard! I killed him, I killed him, I did and I'm not sorry but, oh, Lex, Lex, I'm gonna be in so much trouble! I shouldn't have done it, I know, but there was nothing else to do, and I couldn't, couldn't!" She let out a strangled sob and buried her head in her hands.

Alex reached out to rub her friend's back comfortingly. "Shh, Liv, it's okay. It's all going to be okay." 

Olivia looked up, her face stained with tears. "I killed a man, Lexi! I _killed _a man."

"He was raping you, Liv," Alex reminded her. "It was self-defense."

Olivia leaned against Alex. "You're gonna be a great lawyer someday."

"Thanks, Liv."

They stayed like that for several minutes, holding each other close. Finally, Olivia whispered, "What do we do now?"

"I'm going to call the police, Liv," said Alex quietly.

"No!" she shrieked, leaping up. "You can't! They'll arrest me."

"No, they won't," Alex assured her. "It was self-defense. We just need _them_ to know that so you don't get into any trouble later."

Olivia let a whimper escape her lips but nodded shakily.

* * *

"Olivia, can you tell me what happened?" said a friendly-looking police officer. They were at the station, Olivia clutching Alex's hand for support.

Olivia took a shaky breath and blurted out the whole story. She told the police officers about the abuse and how she finally couldn't take it anymore and shot the bastard who'd raped her. Then she began to cry, sounding for once like the child she'd never had a chance to be. "I don't wanna go to jail!"

"You're not going to," the police officer assured her. "It was self-defense."

Olivia looked up, more vulnerable than anyone could have ever imagined. "Then where am I gonna go?"

"Do you have any relatives you can stay with?"

Olivia shook her head at the same time as Alex said firmly, "Yes. She's coming home with my parents and I."

"You can't tell them," whispered Olivia.

"Liv, I might have to. But you can stay with us for as long as you need to."

Olivia sighed and put her head down on the table as Alex took out her Blackberry to call her driver to come pick them up.

* * *

Olivia silently climbed into the limousine after Alex. She was in shock. Tomorrow a social worker from ACS was going to come visit her. Olivia was frightened of foster care, but she didn't want to impose on the Cabots any longer than she had to.

Neither girl said anything on the ride back. Olivia closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, wondering about her future. It was the first time she'd allowed herself to think past the next day – her worries were always more immediate. She worried about how she was going to survive the next day, not about what she was going to do when she grew up or what subjects she was going to take next year.

They reached Alex's house and Olivia followed her friend back up to her room. She lay down on Alex's bed and closed her eyes, willing away the images of Jason that flooded her mind.

Finally, Alex broke the silence. "Liv, are you okay?"

Olivia turned over onto her side. "Peachy."

Alex's lips turned up at the corners. "I guess that was a stupid question."

"Yeah."

Alex climbed up next to Olivia. "They're never going to hurt you again, Liv."

"Right. 'Cause I killed him. If you're trying to make me feel better, drop it. It ain't working."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Why do you talk like that? You know how to speak properly."

She shrugged. "'Cause I can. Does it annoy you, o prestigious one?"

Alex hid her smile. "See, there you are."

Olivia closed her eyes and leaned back on the pillow. She didn't say anything for a long, long time.

Alex's door opened and her mother burst in. She raced to Alex and threw her arms around her. "Alexandra, are you all right? James said he picked you up from the police station?"

Olivia glanced at Mrs. Cabot's perfectly manicured nails and platinum blonde hair, not one strand out of place. She hoped Alex wouldn't tell her mother about what Olivia had done because this woman would surely kick her out, not wanting a murderer around their daughter.

"I'm fine, Mother," replied Alex, wriggling out of her mother's grasp.

"Then why were you at the police station?"

Alex glanced at Olivia, whose body had visibly tensed. She turned back to her mother. "I had some business to take care of."

"At the _police _station? Don't you lie to me, Alexandra."

Alex sighed. "Everything's fine, Mother. I don't want to talk about it."

"Alexandra, did you do something wrong? Do you –"

"Mrs. Cabot," interrupted Olivia quietly. "Alex was there to pick me up."

Mrs. Cabot's eyes got so large that Olivia feared they would explode. "Why were you there, Olivia?"

Olivia looked at the ground and didn't say anything. She knew that if she told the truth, even partially, Mrs. Cabot wouldn't believe she was a suitable friend for her daughter and would make her leave.

"We're doing a school project on what we might like to be when we grow up," Alex jumped in. "Olivia thinks she might want to be a detective so she was talking to some police officers to do some research."

Olivia shifted under Mrs. Cabot's sharp gaze as she took in Olivia's bruised face, but she didn't press the issue. "What are you doing for this project?"

"I need to talk to a prosecutor, probably a district attorney. That's what I want to when I grow up."

Mrs. Cabot gave her a disapproving look, then said, "Fine. I'm glad you're all right, Alexandra. I will see both of you for dinner in two hours." She glanced meaningfully at Olivia's stained t-shirt. "Please be changed by then – both of you."

As Alex's mother left, Olivia gave Alex an amused look. "Nice comeback there. That was a good one."

Alex smiled. "Thank you." She walked toward her closet and tossed Olivia another outfit. "I think my mom means it about changing for dinner, though. Here, put this on."

Olivia changed quickly into the outfit. Alex tried not to stare at the bruises that covered her friend's body.

"Lex," said Olivia softly when she was done changing. "Thank you." It was the first time in a long time that she had thanked anyone this sincerely for anything and the words tasted strange in her mouth. Then again, it had been a long time since anyone had done anything for her that merited such sincere thanks.

Alex smiled ruefully. "They're just clothes."

"No, Lex. That wasn't what I meant."

Alex sighed. "I know."

Olivia suddenly looked frightened. "Lex, what would your mom do . . . if you told her?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know. It's hard to tell sometimes when it comes to my mom."

"Lex, I'm sorry about all this. I didn't mean to get you involved."

Alex squeezed Olivia's hand. "It's okay, Liv. It's not your fault."

"I killed a man!"

"A man that was raping you."

Olivia shook her head as if to clear it. "That doesn't excuse it."

"I know, but it _explains _it. Severe emotional distress, Liv."

Olivia smiled wanly. "You're gonna be a great lawyer someday. You're gonna save the world."

Alex beamed. "Thanks, Liv."

**Review for more!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**If you want more, please review!**

That night, neither girl could sleep. Alex and Olivia lay in their respective beds staring at the ceiling, not talking, just thinking, replaying the events of the day over and over in their minds. Olivia couldn't get the image of Jason, falling to the ground as she shot him, out of her mind. Alex was wondering that her mother would do if she found out Olivia had killed her mother's boyfriend.

Finally, around two in the morning, both of them fell asleep.

* * *

Alex awoke an hour later to ear piercing screams. She sat up straight in bed and looked down at her friend. Sure enough, Olivia was thrashing around in her sleep and moaning. Alex leapt off her bed and knelt down next to Olivia. "Liv, Liv, are you okay?"

Olivia didn't wake up. She continued to kick and cry out in her sleep.

Alex reached out and gently shook Olivia's shoulders to wake her. Olivia's eyes flew open and she shied away from Alex. Her eyes were unfocussed and glassy and Alex could tell that she didn't know who she was. "Liv," she whispered. "It's me, it's just me, it's Alex."

Olivia didn't recognize her at first, but then she did. She closed her eyes and leaned back. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, Lex. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," Alex assured her, putting an arm around Olivia. "It was just a bad dream."

Olivia shook her head. "No, it's Jason. He's here. He's never gonna leave me alone. Every time I close my eyes . . ."

Alex didn't say anything. She didn't know what she _could _say. What words of comfort could she offer her friend who'd been hurt so much?

"Liv, when I grow up, I'm going to put away all the evil bastards that do things like this to kids like you," Alex assured her, shaking with anger.

Olivia sighed and closed her eyes. "You know what, Lex?"

"What?"

"When I grow up, I'm going to help you."

**Review for more! Thanks for all the reviews I've got already. If anyone has any ideas for where I can take this story, feel free to leave it.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want chapter eleven!**

When they got to school the next morning, Olivia was not in very good shape. She was pale and exhausted and she clung to Alex. Fiery Olivia had been watered down. They saw Elliot, Kathy, Chester, John, Brian, and Casey sitting on the curb, smoking, and Elliot called out, "Hey, Benson. What's up?"

Olivia walked over to them, Alex following behind. Olivia sat down next to Elliot, taking comfort in the presence of her other friend, and didn't say anything.

"Liv," said Elliot, sounding concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Elliot," whispered Olivia, leaning toward him.

Kathy put her arm around Elliot possessively as he started to move closer to Olivia. "Did something happen, Olivia?" asked Kathy, wanting to take control of the situation, feeling slightly intimidated by Olivia. 

Olivia noticed this, moved back from Elliot and said, "No, I'm fine."

"Is everything okay with your mom, Liv?" asked Elliot.

Olivia flinched at his words, then said, "You know what, El? I don't want to talk about it."

Elliot looked to Alex, as if she would tell him what was wrong, but she just shook her head slightly.

Fin trotted over with Melinda, who was holding his arm and laughing at something he'd just said. "Hey, Benson," he said. "You look like shit."

Olivia, who normally would have told him to fuck off, didn't say anything.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Thanks for your candor, Fin."

Fin took a closer look at Olivia. "Benson, you okay?"

"I'm _fine_, Fin," snapped Olivia.

Melinda and Fin sat down next to Olivia and Alex. They chatted about menial things until the bell rang.

"See you at lunch, Benson, Cabot," said Fin.

"See ya, Liv," said Elliot as he and Kathy linked arms and trotted off.

Olivia and Alex made their way to French class and sat down at their desks.

"Olivia," snapped Mrs. Brailin, coming over to the girls' desks. "Did you get that note from your mother?"

Olivia shook her head. "Uh-uh."

"Olivia Benson, I told you yesterday that you were to get a note from your mother confirming that she has had a discussion with you about your unacceptable behavior in class. Once again, you disobeyed me. I am going to call your mother to come and get you."

"She's not gonna come," said Olivia, in what would seem a calm voice except for the fact that her pale face had turned even whiter and her hands were shaking.

"I am going to call her anyway. You need to get your act in gear and if there isn't anything I can do, maybe you need further incentive."

Olivia started to protest, but Alex interrupted their banter. "Excuse me, Mrs. Brailin, but Olivia is staying with me."

They both glared at Alex. "Are your parents her legal guardians?" asked the French teacher.

Alex hesitated and shook her head.

"Then stay out of this, Alexandra."

Alex was torn between wanting to help her friend and wanting to stay out of trouble. "But –"

"Olivia," said Mrs. Brailin sharply. "Come here."

Olivia rolled her eyes but followed the teacher to her desk. "_What_?"

"Olivia, I am going to call your mother and the three of us are going to have a meeting. This is unacceptable behavior from you and I won't tolerate it."

"I don't live with my mom," snapped Olivia.

"Don't you lie to me, Olivia Benson. Of course you do. I talked to her."

"No, I don't," she repeated. "Not anymore. I'm staying with Alex's family."

"So would you like me to call Alexandra's parents?"

Olivia shook her head. "Don't. Please, just leave me alone."

"Olivia, you have two options. Either you live with your mother and I'll call her or you live with Alexandra's parents and I'll call them. Take your pick."

"Screw you," muttered Olivia, knowing even as she said this that it would only get her into more trouble.

"That's enough," snapped the teacher. "I'm going to call Alexandra's parents then. sit down."

Olivia resignedly went back to sit next to Alex. "Lex, I'm sorry. She's calling your parents. They're gonna freak."

"It's okay, Liv," Alex assured her. "It'll be fine."

Olivia sighed. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

* * *

At lunch, the girls met up with Elliot, John, Chester, Fin, Brian, Casey, Kathy, and Melinda. Olivia plopped down between Elliot and Alex, her food sitting untouched in front of her.

Alex took a bite of cheese pizza. "Have something to eat, Liv."

Olivia shook her head and pushed her tray away. "I'm not hungry."

"Eat something, Benson!" ordered Elliot lightly.

"Leave me alone!" snapped Olivia. She leapt up and raced to the washroom.

Alex looked around the table at her friends, then followed Olivia. She heard something that sounded like Olivia throwing up and knocked on the bathroom stall. "Liv? Liv, are you okay? Olivia?"

Olivia opened the door and turned to Alex, her face pale, washed out. "Go back to the caf, Cabot. I'm fine."

"Liv, are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine." She turned back around and threw up again, then turned back to Alex. "Go back to Elliot and tell him I'm okay."

"But, Liv, you're not okay."

"Lex, Mrs. Brailin called your parents. They're not gonna let you be friends with me anymore. I know that."

"Liv –"

"Just go, Alex. Just go."

Alex waited a beat but Olivia had turned away, and a moment later, she returned to the cafeteria.

"Is she okay?" asked Elliot.

"She's fine, Elliot." But the words tasted bitter and odd in her mouth and she knew Elliot could tell that what she was saying wasn't true.

* * *

When Olivia and Alex got back to Alex's house after school, they went up to Alex's room. Alex took out her math textbook and started her homework. Olivia lay on the bed with her eyes closed, worrying about what would happen when Alex's parents returned.

Sure enough, two hours later, they heard the dreaded knock on the door. Alex and Olivia exchanged glances. "Come in," called Alex.

Mrs. Cabot opened the door and entered the room. "Hello, Alexandra. Hello, _Olivia_. I think we need to have a discussion."

Alex put down her pencil and climbed up onto the bed next to her friend, who was staring at the ground, her face ashen, her hands trembling.

Alex's mother sat down across from her. She turned to Olivia. "Olivia, I got a call from one of your teachers today. She said you had told her that you were living with us and I was your legal guardian. I was never made aware of this and I cannot take responsibility for you."

Olivia looked at her hands and didn't say anything.

"Where is your mother, Olivia?"

"She doesn't want me anymore," murmured Olivia.

"Don't be ridiculous, Olivia," said Mrs. Cabot harshly. "Of course she does, and you are not going to stay here without your mother's consent. Where is she?"

Olivia looked at Alex. "I don't know."

"Well, Olivia, I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to stay here any longer."

Olivia's eyes widened. She had expected this, but now where would she go? This was her safe haven. She had no other.

Alex reached over and put her arm around Olivia, who instinctively flinched but didn't pull away. "Mother, Olivia has nowhere else to go. Please let her stay here."

"Alexandra, I'm surprised at you. Olivia needs to go back to her mother and I forbid you to be friends with her."

**Please review for more!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review for the next chapter!**

Olivia began to cry silently. She had anticipated this but it still hurt that they were talking about her as if she wasn't even there.

"Liv, it's okay," whispered Alex, rubbing her back. She turned back to her mother. "Mother, Olivia is my friend."

"Alexandra, you are my daughter and it is my responsibility to keep you from bad influences. Olivia, I need to know where your mother is or else we will have to turn you over to ACS and they will find your mother," said Mrs. Cabot.

Olivia was sobbing too hard to reply so Alex's mother took her arm and guided her to the door.

"Mother!" protested Alex.

"Alexandra, you stay here. I am taking Olivia to ACS to see if they can help us sort this mess out."

* * *

That was how Olivia found herself in a bedroom with five other children that night, in a small apartment with a foster family. There were three girls and two boys and they all shared one bedroom. The apartment was dirty and cramped, a far cry from Alex's pristine mansion. Two of the children were very young – an eighteen-month-old girl and a three-year-old girl. There was a five-year-old boy, a nine-year-old boy, and a girl a year younger than Olivia.

She hated them all.

She knew they were just like her, not bad kids, but kids who'd been through a lot like she had. But she couldn't help but despise them, and the foster family, and her caseworker, and even Alex's mother. It was her fault that Olivia was here.

Olivia missed Alex. She missed Elliot and Fin and John and Chester and Brian and Casey and Melinda and Kathy, but she especially missed Alex, her best friend who'd done so much for her. She was homesick, even though Alex's house wasn't her home. It was the strangest feeling. Olivia had never felt homesick before.

She lay in the bottom bunk of the dirty bed closest to the door, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. It was Friday, so she wouldn't see her friend until Monday.

She wondered how she was going to survive until then.

* * *

Olivia spent the next two days feeling like a modern-day Cinderella. She didn't mind hard work and she'd spent many a night cleaning up after her drunken mother, but she quickly realized that her temporary foster parents were the kind of people that took in kids for the money the state paid them, not because they actually wanted to help disadvantaged children. It was clear that the foster parents weren't the grownups in this house; they spent the day watching television while the older kids were left to fend for the younger ones. Olivia and the other girl, named Julia, spent the next day cleaning up the pigsty in the apartment, changing the youngest girl's dirty diapers, and entertaining the children.

Olivia couldn't wait for Monday.

"Julia," she said. "Monday is school – right?"

Julia nodded. "Yeah, of course. You a little scholar like that one?" She gestured to the silent nine-year-old, who was named Gavin.

She shook her head. "No. Not really."

"They'll get you enrolled in your new school on Monday or Tuesday probably," said Julia.

Olivia felt panic rising in her stomach. "I don't wanna go to a new school. I wanna see my friends."

"Well, you better get used to it, 'cause you ain't gonna be seeing any of your friends again. They don't like us to have friends."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't belong here!"

"None of us do," replied Julia. "But here we are. We're the ones nobody wants. So get used to it."

* * *

On Monday, Anna and Daniel, the foster parents, took Olivia to their local high school to enroll her. They filled out the paperwork, then left her there.

Olivia went to her first class, geography. She had no idea what the teacher was talking about. She sat in the only empty seat, the worst space in the room – front row, center, next to an obese boy with brown hair and blue eyes, who was picking his nose. She could definitely see why he was sitting on his own and tried to move as far away from him as possible.

She sat alone at lunch, missing Alex, Elliot, and her other friends. She wondered if they were thinking about her right now.

**Review if you want chapter twelve!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want more!**

Alex was fuming. The second she heard the door open downstairs, she raced to meet her mother. "Where's my friend?" she growled.

"With a foster family," replied her mother calmly. "Where she'll be safe. And she isn't your friend anymore, Alexandra."

Alex stamped her foot childishly, on the verge of hysterics. "I want to see her!"

"Alexandra, I forbid you from going near that girl."

"You can't stop me!" screamed Alex.

She was more out of control than she could ever remember being. She never talked back to her mother like this and she hadn't thrown a tantrum since she was two. But this was Olivia, her only friend, and they needed each other. She couldn't have been given Olivia only to lose her so quickly. She had to do _something_. The question was _what_.

* * *

Monday morning, Alex stormed into the parking lot of the school. "Elliot," she barked. "I need to talk to you."

Elliot, who had been listening intently to something Kathy was saying, looked up. "Hey, Cabot. What's up?"

"I need to talk to you, Elliot," Alex repeated. "It's about Olivia."

"Kathy, I'll see you later," he said. She pouted, but he added, "It's important," and she let go of his arm.

Elliot jogged over to Alex. "So, what's up with Benson?"

Alex buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath. Finally, she blurted out the whole story. When she was finished, she looked up to see Elliot staring at her, his mouth wide open in disbelief. She was horrified to find that she was blinking back hot tears.

"So," said Elliot, breaking the silence. "What do we do now?"

Suddenly Alex felt like her legs couldn't support her anymore. She was overwhelmed and sank down, leaning into Elliot. He caught her in his arms and held her limp body. Alex let the tears flow freely down her cheeks. "I don't know."

* * *

Olivia felt like a robot. There was nothing to break the monotony – every day she walked to and from school, made meals, cleaned the house, helped the children with their homework, went to bed, woke up, dreaming every day of Alex and Elliot. But every day that hope seemed less and less likely.

She'd stopped eating and lost weight. There wasn't enough food in the house anyway and it was all disgusting. She gave her meals to the little ones, Jennifer and Bailey. They were sisters. They had a brother, too, but he was only six months old and hadn't been allowed to stay with them. Jennifer cried for him every day, even though she was only three.

She took care of the children. She'd realized after three days that they had to work together or else they would never survive. Their foster parents didn't care about them; they just cared about the money the state paid them for taking in children. So the older ones had to look after the younger ones.

Jennifer and Bailey both adored Olivia. She read to them, played games, taught them how to make puzzles and how to do cat's cradle, how to make puppets and dolls from socks – all the tricks she'd learned as a child. And every night before bed, she told them stories. They would snuggle close in Olivia's bed as she told them stories about a girl named Alex who was a superhero in disguise, who caught criminals and put them away forever. Even though she looked like an ordinary girl, she was everybody's champion.

* * *

A week later, Elliot and Alex had concocted a plan. After school one day, they drove to the ACS office. Elliot walked up to the secretary sitting at her desk. "Excuse me, we're looking for Olivia Benson's caseworker."

"Do you know the caseworker's name?" asked the secretary.

Elliot looked at Alex, who shook her head.

"Then, I'm sorry, but I can't help you," said the woman. "This is confidential."

Elliot leaned close to the woman in an effort make himself seem intimidating. "Lady, this is my friend we're talking about. We need to find Olivia Benson. _Where is she?_"

"I'm sorry," repeated the secretary calmly. "But I can't help you."

Alex burst into tears.

* * *

One day as Olivia was dropping the little ones off at daycare, she caught sight of something on the ground. It was a twenty dollar bill. "Wait a second," she told Jennifer, whose hand she was holding.

Every morning, Julia took the boys to their elementary school and Olivia dropped the little girls off at daycare before walking to the high school. She still refused to think of it as "her" high school.

She knelt down and picked up the bill. Then she had an idea.

After dropping the girls off and giving them goodbye hugs, she walked to the nearest subway station and bought a ticket. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She knew she'd be punished if her foster parents found her skipping school, but it was a chance she had to take.

She climbed onto the train and sat down. She was on her way to see her friends.

**Review if you want to know what happens next!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want more!**

Alex looked up when she heard the knock on the door during French class. Mrs. Brailin, who she'd grown to hate, opened the door. It was all the French teacher's fault that her friend was MIA. It would be Mrs. Brailin's fault if she never saw Olivia again.

The teacher turned to Alex with a disapproving look on her face. "Alexandra, there's someone here to see you."

"Who?"

"Just go," snapped the French teacher.

Alex dropped her pencil and sighed. She got up and sauntered to the door. She looked up at her visitor and gasped. "Oh, my God!" There, standing right in front of her, was Olivia!

Alex and Olivia both burst into tears and threw their arms around each other at the same time. They hugged for what seemed like an eternity and a nanosecond all at once, holding each other for comfort, unable to let go.

Finally, they broke apart. "I missed you, Lex," whispered Olivia.

That set Alex off again. "Liv, I missed you, too."

She stepped back and took a good look at Olivia. She'd lost a lot of weight and she looked pale and gaunt. Her baggy clothes hung off her frail body and she had dark bags under her eyes.

Alex took Olivia's arm and led her outside the school. "Come on, Liv. Let's go get something to eat."

Olivia shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat _something_, Liv. You look like you haven't eaten in weeks."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Why are you always on my case when it comes to eating?"

"Because you look like you've lost fifteen pounds in a month, which isn't healthy. Come on," she said, taking Olivia's hand. "I'll buy you a sandwich." She knew this was the real problem; Olivia had no money and was too proud to ask Alex to borrow some.

Olivia followed Alex to the cafeteria across the street. Alex bought them both sandwiches and they sat down at a table.

"So, Liv," said Alex as Olivia wolfed down the sandwich. "Tell me where you're staying. Here, write down the address." She took out her notebook and handed Olivia a pen.

Olivia wrote down her address. "But don't come visit," warned Olivia. "They won't like it."

"Do they treat you all right?" asked Alex.

Olivia shrugged. "It's better than it was before."

"That's not saying a lot," commented Alex.

"Well, let's see. No one comes into my room at night. No one hits me." But then Olivia gave way to the sadness she felt inside and her face fell. "But no one loves me either." Olivia took another bite of her sandwich and jumped up. "Sorry, Lex. I – I think I'm gonna be sick." She ran to the washroom.

Alex followed her and was greeted by the familiar sound of Olivia vomiting. She waited until Olivia was finished before she said, "That bad, huh? When was the last time you ate a real meal?"

"Too long ago," managed Olivia. "Probably never."

Alex sighed. "Are you okay?"

Olivia looked at Alex. "No, I'm not. Lex, I miss you. I miss Elliot. I miss it here. I can't stay there, Lex! They don't hit me or anything, but they just don't care. I mean, I'm used to that, but there are other kids too, and I take care of them and it's just – I don't know. I want to be here with you!"

Alex put her arm around Olivia as her friend burst into tears, heaving sobs wracking her fragile body. She didn't know what to do.

Finally, Olivia pulled away. She heaved a deep sigh and wiped her eyes. "So," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Can I – you think Elliot wants to see me?"

Alex smiled. "I'm sure he does. Come on. Let's go see him. It's lunch time."

The two girls made their way back to the school and waited for Elliot at his locker. When they finally saw him walking toward his locker with Fin, Melinda, and Kathy, Olivia ran into his arms, ignoring Kathy's dirty look. But Kathy relaxed when she saw it for what it was, just a friendly embrace, nothing more. They had missed each other.

Elliot patted Olivia on the back as she rested her head on his shoulder. "It's good to see you, Liv," murmured Elliot.

"You back for good, Benson?" asked Fin.

Olivia shook her head. "Just for a visit."

"It's good to see you, Olivia," said Kathy, and she meant it. It had been hard for all of them, not knowing where their friend was or if she was safe.

Olivia lifted her head up, holding back her tears. "It's good to see you, too, Kathy."

The group sat down at their old table in the cafeteria. Casey, Brian, Chester, and John all greeted Olivia warmly. She sat sandwiched between her two best friends, reveling in the warmth she felt. Home is where the heart is and finally, she was home.

But it was over all too soon. Alex offered to have her driver take them to the daycare to pick up Jennifer and Bailey. At first, Olivia refused, but she didn't want to part company with Alex so soon, so she accepted the ride.

The girls climbed into the limousine and it was like the good old days they'd shared. Olivia reached out to take Alex's hand. She leaned back in the seat and rested her head against it. It had been a long time since she'd been in a car. She closed her eyes and pretended she was going back to Alex's house with her and they were going to stay together forever.

All too soon, they reached the daycare. "Come with me," whispered Olivia.

Alex nodded. She told James to wait for her and followed Olivia out of the car into the small, dirty building that was the daycare. Olivia led Alex to the room where the younger children played. The woman at the door greeted her warmly. "Hello, Olivia. Who's your friend?"

"This is Alex," replied Olivia with a sad smile. "She's my best friend. Where are the girls?"

"Bailey! Jennifer!" called the woman and two little girls came running. The older one had long, dirty blonde hair that flowed down her back and the younger one had big blue eyes and pigtails. They both ran to Olivia and threw their arms around her.

Olivia knelt down to hug the children. "Hey, guys. Alex, this is Bailey and this is Jennifer. Guys, this is my friend Alex."

Jennifer's eyes widened. "Alex the superhero?"

Olivia smiled. "No, Alex my friend."

"What's she talking about?" asked Alex, amused.

"Nothing," said Olivia quickly, lifting Bailey onto her hip. "Alex is going to give us a ride home, okay?"

Bailey stuck her thumb in her mouth and nodded. Alex took Jennifer's hand and led them to the car.

Jennifer's eyes practically popped out of her head when she saw the limousine. "We're goin' in a _limo_?"

Alex smiled at the little girl. "Yes."

"Are you a princess, Alex?" asked Jennifer seriously.

Alex laughed. "No, sweetheart." She lifted the little girl into the car and climbed in next to her.

Olivia sat Bailey on her lap and took Alex's hand again as James drove them to the foster house. "Can I walk you in?" asked Alex, taking in the dank-looking apartment building.

Olivia shook her head. "They'll be upset."

"Okay," conceded Alex. "Hey, I'll come see you sometimes, okay?"

Olivia sighed. "That would be great, Alex. I'll see you later."

She helped the younger girls out of the car and didn't look back. She knew if she did, she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

**Review if you want to read the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want chapter fifteen!**

Seeing Alex kept Olivia going for a few more days. She was so relieved at visiting her friend that she could take whatever her foster parents dished out. Even when they found out that Olivia had skipped school and they made her kneel on raw rice in the corner for two hours, she survived, because she spent those two hours thinking about Alex. She remembered her friend's smile and it made her feel immediately better. Even as her knees started to bleed, she just imagined Alex, and the pain went away.

Finally, her foster mother allowed her to get up. "Where did you go today?" she snarled.

Olivia rubbed her knees, trying to get rid of the pain, but to no avail. "Nowhere."

"Liar," she snapped, smacking Olivia across the face.

Olivia was suddenly on her guard. She was used to her foster parents ignoring her, but she hadn't thought they would ever hurt her. But she had to be prepared; when they were angry, they could and would do whatever they wanted to her, including hitting her.

"I hung out at the park," lied Olivia. "I just didn't feel like going to school."

Her foster mother leaned close to Olivia. "So you _didn't _go see your friend, what's her name – Alex?"

Olivia's heart began to pound in her chest, so loudly that she was sure her foster mother could hear it. The look on Olivia's face must have been a giveaway though, because the woman gave her a malicious smile that Olivia recognized so well. She'd seen it all the time on her own mother.

"Jennifer told me," she explained. "So how did you end up friends with a rich girl?"

Olivia didn't say anything. She didn't want to admit to seeing her friend. She didn't want herself or Jennifer to get into any more trouble. So she stayed silent, anticipating further punishment. Her knees were bloody and burning, but it was nothing compared to what she'd been through before. She stared her foster mother defiantly in the eye, waiting.

Finally the woman looked away. "Go to your room," she spat, and Olivia was glad to oblige.

She slammed the door before collapsing on the bed and closing her eyes. Jennifer, newly sporting a handprint on her left cheek, crawled up next to her. "I'm sorry, Livvy," she whispered. "I didn't want you to get hurt."

Olivia sighed and put her arms around the girl. "I didn't want _you _to get hurt. It's okay."

Julia entered the room, holding the five-year-old boy's hand. His name was Benjamin and he was Julia's little brother. "Oh, she punished you?" she asked Olivia, noticing her bruised knees.

Olivia nodded. "Don't lecture, Julia. I don't want to hear about how I should stop antagonizing them and then they wouldn't hurt me."

Julia shrugged. "I wasn't going to say that." She sat down on her bed and pulled Benjamin into her lap.

"Then what were you going to say?" she snapped.

"I was going to offer to bandage up your knees for you, but if you don't want me to . . ."

Olivia looked at the ceiling. She was too proud to admit that she needed it, but she nodded slightly; a compromise. Julia got her the first aid kit and helped her fix up her knees. Olivia winced at the sting, but after a few minutes her knees started to feel better.

"'Livia," lisped Bailey, toddling over to Olivia's bed and snuggling up against her. "Tell us a story."

Jennifer cuddled up on her other side. "Tell us another story about _Alex_."

It made Olivia want to cry. She thought for a moment, then began to weave a web with her words, of Alex the superhero who came and rescued three little girls from an evil witch who wanted to hurt them.

She wished the real Alex could do the same.

**Review for more!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review for more!**

She was living on hope.

Olivia had no present, so she was living for the future that she might have someday. She started working harder in school and seriously thinking about what she might want to do when she grew up. She tried as hard as she could not to antagonize her foster parents and avoided most punishment in this way.

But still she missed Alex.

She couldn't go back to visit – her red raw knees had served as a reminder of the punishment such behavior would induce. She couldn't go to Alex's house and her foster family didn't have a landline telephone or a computer and they wouldn't let her use their cell phones.

She woke up in the mornings, fixed breakfast, didn't eat, dropped the girls off at their daycare, went to school, picked the girls up, went home, did her homework, made dinner, didn't eat, bathed the kids, put them to bed, went to bed herself, didn't sleep, and did it all over again. She didn't _feel _anything. She was living day-to-day, minute-to-minute. If she could just survive one more day . . .

One day, her foster parents were out with Gavin, taking him for a visit with his biological parents. Julia and Olivia were helping Benjamin, Jennifer, and Bailey with a dinosaur puzzle when they heard a knock on the door.

Julia and Olivia exchanged looks. "I'll get it," said Julia, slightly wary.

Olivia nodded and turned back to the children, expertly positioning a piece of a Tyrannosaurus' head in the right hand corner of the puzzle.

"Who's at the door?" asked Benjamin curiously.

Olivia shrugged. No one ever came to visit them – except their caseworkers. Was someone's caseworker coming today and their foster parents had forgotten? No, they never forgot caseworkers' visits. But Olivia anxiously smoothed her hair and adjusted her shirt anyway.

Jennifer stuck her thumb in her mouth and put another piece of the puzzle in as Julia called, "Olivia, it's for you?"

_For _me_? _thought Olivia. She prayed to God it wasn't her mother. Sometimes Gavin's mother showed up to come see him. Although it wasn't allowed and his mother wasn't supposed to know where he was staying, their foster parents didn't care and Gavin was just happy to see his mother, even though she was a drug addict. Sometimes, listening to the other kids' horror stories, Olivia took comfort in the fact that she wasn't alone. Sometimes she even felt lucky.

"Who is it?" Olivia called back.

"Your friend – the one that _they _were going on about." By _they_, she meant their foster parents.

Olivia's heartbeat quickened. Alex couldn't really be here – could she? She had told Alex not to come, but still, that didn't mean Alex would listen. It would be so good to see her friend again!

Sure enough, Julia entered the room a moment later with a tall blonde girl wearing Armani and carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. "Alex!" cried Olivia in pure ecstasy, running to throw her arms around her friend as if she was five years old again, forgetting all social etiquette.

Alex hugged her back and they stayed like that for a few minutes before Olivia remembered her manners and stepped back. "Alex," she said. "This is Julia and this is Benjamin. And you know Bailey and Jennifer. Guys, this is Alex."

Jennifer gave Alex a shy smile and Bailey waved. Alex smiled at them, but Olivia could see her eyes glancing around, appraising their small apartment. She felt a bit embarrassed, knowing the luxuries Alex was used to.

"I told you not to come," said Olivia weakly, after she got over the initial shock.

Alex shrugged and said simply, "But I missed you. Why didn't you come to see me?"

"I wasn't allowed," whispered Olivia.

"Did you get in trouble?"

Olivia nodded, but didn't elaborate.

Alex could tell by her friend's expression that something had happened. "What did they do to you?" she pressed.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Alex looked disappointed. "I thought we were past that."

Olivia sighed. "Okay, fine. They made me kneel in uncooked rice for two hours until my knees were bleeding."

Alex looked shocked. "I'm sorry, Liv. I thought you said they treated you okay."

Olivia shrugged uncomfortably, knowing the other children were staring at her and not liking it.

"Why don't you guys go into the bedroom and get caught up?" suggested Julia. "I'll watch the kids."

"Thanks, Julia," said Olivia gratefully, leading Alex into her room.

"Do you all sleep here?" asked Alex. It was hard for Olivia to read the expression on her face.

"Yes," replied Olivia reluctantly.

Alex raised her eyebrows but didn't comment. Instead, she climbed up onto the top bunk of one of the beds and sat down next to Olivia. "So talk to me."

Olivia didn't want to tell Alex anything. Instead, she wanted Alex to tell _her _things. She wanted to pretend that they were best friends again, sharing all their secrets. Even though Alex was still _her _best friend, Alex probably had made some new friends, maybe even a new _best _friend. "How's Elliot doing?"

Alex shrugged. "He's good. He misses you."

"What about Kathy?"

Alex made a face. "She's good, too. Everyone misses you. They want you back."

Suddenly Olivia heard the apartment door open and motioned frantically for Alex to be quiet.

"What?" asked Alex.

"They're home!"

"Your foster parents?"

Olivia nodded, eyes wide.

"Will they be upset that I'm here?"

Olivia nodded emphatically and started to tremble. She didn't want to be punished again.

Alex put her hand on top of Olivia's to try to reassure her as the door flew open. A tall man with dark hair and a woman who looked like she'd just sucked on ten lemons walked into the room. "Olivia," snarled the woman. "Did I say you were allowed to have your friend over?"

Olivia dropped her gaze and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Anna. She was just leaving."

Alex glanced at her friend, who was quivering in fear. "I'll see you later, Liv, okay?"

"Alex," whispered Olivia. The words pierced her heart like a knife, but she had to say them. "You're my best friend in the whole wide world – but don't come back."

**Review if you want chapter sixteen!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: I know that in real life, the ACS system probably can't be manipulated this way. Allow me my poetic license.**

**Review if you want chapter seventeen!**

Alex didn't know what to do as she exited the apartment. She didn't feel right leaving Olivia there, but at the same time, she didn't know what else she _could_ do. She sat silently in the limousine on the way home, thinking. She didn't want Olivia to get into any more trouble because of her – she didn't know what her friend's foster parents had done to her, but judging by the way she trembled when they arrived, it was probably very bad.

Alex had to get in contact with Olivia's caseworker. She didn't know how she was going to accomplish this, but she couldn't allow her friend to stay in that filthy apartment with foster parents who were obviously neglectful, if not abusive. She didn't want Olivia to go through any more pain. She deserved a family who would love her and treat her like a princess. Alex would have been just as happy to let Olivia stay with her, but her mother would never let that happen.

She hated her mother.

* * *

"Where were you, Alexandra?" demanded Mrs. Cabot as Alex slipped through the door, trying unsuccessfully to be inconspicuous.

"With Olivia," snapped Alex, not even bothering to lie. She just didn't care anymore.

"Alexandra! I forbade you from seeing that girl."

"Why? Because she has no money? Because she has no family? Or both?"

Her mother gave her a resigned look. "This is why I didn't want you going to a public school. The Alexandra I know would never dream of talking to me this way. This Alexandra I know listens to her mother."

"It's Alex," growled Alex. "God, you don't even know my name!"

Her mother looked sad. "Who is this _Alex_? I don't know her."

Alex paused. In all honesty, neither did she.

* * *

Alex threw all her energy into finding out how to manipulate the rules so she could find Olivia's caseworker. One day, she had a stroke of brilliance.

She had James take her to the ACS office after school and told the secretary that she wanted to report a case of child abuse within the foster care system.

"Do you know the child's caseworker?" asked the secretary.

"No. I was hoping you could tell me that."

The secretary nodded. "I'll need the child's name."

Alex stifled her smile. "Olivia Benson."

The woman typed the name into the computer. "The caseworker's name is Karen DeSanto." She pressed a button on the intercom. "Karen, there's someone here to see you."

"Send her right in."

The secretary turned to Alex. "It's room 157."

Alex found her way to the caseworker's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice called, and Alex did.

"I need to talk to you about Olivia Benson," said Alex, getting right to it.

The woman nodded. "Sit down. What's your name?"

"Alex. I'm her best friend."

"Okay. So what's wrong?"

"She can't stay with those people!" Alex blurted out.

"Why not?"

"They're abusive," said Alex, even though she wasn't exactly sure if this was true. She knew they were neglectful, but abusive might be a stretch.

The caseworker watched her carefully. "How so?"

Alex paused. She didn't really know, but she didn't want to admit it. "She's terrified of them," she said instead.

"What do they do to her?" asked Karen again.

Alex sighed. "Please, just go check on her."

"Okay, I'll make an appointment."

"No, don't," said Alex. "Just stop in. As soon as you can."

The social worker raised an eyebrow. "I know how to do my job, Alex."

"I know my friend," she retorted. "Olivia's tough. She wouldn't be complaining about nothing. Go. Now."

Maybe it was the force Alex put behind her words or the determined glare in her blue eyes, but Karen nodded.

Alex pressed her luck. "I want to come."

"No. You can see your friend later."

"No, I can't. I'm coming with," insisted Alex.

"No, you're not."

Alex played her last card. She knew it was a cheap move, but she was furious. "Do you know who my parents are?"

"I don't see why that matters," snapped the caseworker.

"They're Marlene and Andrew Cabot," Alex informed her. "And I'm sure they'll be quite interested in this."

Karen started to say something else, but seemed to decide that this argument was futile. "Fine."

Alex smiled to herself as followed the social worker out to her car and climbed into the passenger seat.

**Review if you want to find out what happens next!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review if you want the next chapter!**

Karen knocked on the apartment door, but no one answered. She turned to Alex. "They're not home."

"Yes, they are," replied Alex stubbornly, banging on the door.

Finally, Olivia's foster father answered the door. He glared at Karen and Alex. "What?"

"Can we come in?" asked Karen.

Seeing no alternative, he nodded and stepped aside.

"Where's Olivia?"

"She's . . . unavailable," answered Anna, coming into the room.

"Where _is _she?" snapped Alex.

"What are _you _doing here?" asked Anna.

"Just making sure my friend is okay."

"Go home, kid," said Daniel.

"I'm not going anywhere," replied Alex stubbornly. _"Where is Olivia?"_

"She's busy."

Alex sighed. She turned and started for the children's bedroom, ignoring Anna calling after her. "Hey, you can't go in there!"

Alex found Olivia kneeling in the corner in uncooked rice, her hands clenched by her sides, silent tears streaking down her cheeks. She looked up when she saw Alex. "Lex," she said weakly. "I told you –"

"I know what you told me, but this is why –"

Karen appeared in the doorway behind Alex. She turned to glare at the foster parents. "Anna –"

"I can explain," she said quickly. "Olivia misbehaved and she had to be punished. It's not like we were _hitting_ her or anything."

Alex took Olivia's hand and helped her up. Glancing at Olivia's bleeding, raw knees, she asked, "How long have you been kneeling?"

Olivia ducked her head. "Two hours."

"Two _hours_?" exclaimed Karen.

Alex resisted the urge to say, "Told you so." Instead, she put her arms around Olivia's shoulders protectively. "Are you okay, Liv?"

Olivia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her face flushed red from humiliation. "I'm fine, Lex."

"Why don't you stay here with your friend, Olivia?" suggested Karen. "I need to talk to Anna and Daniel."

Still clutching Alex's hand, Olivia nodded. She climbed onto the bed and Alex sat down next to her.

"Liv," whispered Alex. "What happened?"

She shrugged in an unsuccessful attempt to appear nonchalant. "I was bad. I talked back. I got punished."

"With _that_?"

"It _is _better than being hit," commented Olivia.

"Olivia, that's abuse, plain and simple."

She shrugged again. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay. Do you want to know something really funny?"

Olivia nodded, so Alex launched into a tale of how during gym class, one of the clumsier girls in their grade had tried to bump a volleyball to her partner and accidentally whacked the teacher in the face, breaking his nose.

Olivia giggled and leaned back, smiling at Alex.

Karen entered the bedroom once again, with Olivia's foster parents behind her. "Olivia, we're leaving," she said, acute disapproval etched into her face. "Get your things."

"I'll help," offered Alex.

The girls climbed off the bed and started to fold up the few outfits Olivia had and put them into a garbage bag.

"Don't you have a suitcase?" asked Alex.

Olivia shook her head and added her schoolbooks and some notebooks to the pile. "I'm ready."

"Come on," said Karen.

Alex and Olivia followed the caseworker to her car and climbed into the backseat. They clutched each other's hands.

Olivia finally broke the silence. "Where am I going?"

"To another foster family," replied the social worker.

Olivia cringed. "Will they be nice?"

"Yes, they will be."

"You could stay with me," offered Alex, even though she knew it would never work out.

Olivia gave her a sad smile. "No, that's okay. Your mom wouldn't like it."

Alex knew that, much as she hated to admit it, Olivia was right. "Will you come visit?"

Olivia nodded.

"You know what?" said Karen. "I think we can do better. Why don't we place you in a foster home close to your old school?"

Olivia nodded vigorously. "Yes, please!"

They reached the ACS office and went inside. "You can go now," the social worker told Alex.

Alex shook her head. "I'd rather stay."

Karen frowned, but nodded her head slightly. "You two wait here. I'm just going to make a few calls."

Olivia and Alex sat side by side in the waiting room as they waited for Karen to be finished.

"Thanks, Alex," whispered Olivia.

Alex squeezed her hand and they sat in silence for the next twenty minutes, until Karen came out of her office. "Okay, Olivia. We're going to take you to a foster home near your old school. Alex can come with us and I'll drop her off afterward."

The girls followed Karen to her car and the social worker drove them to an apartment that looked much nicer than any Olivia had ever lived in. She parked the car and led both girls up to the fourth floor and knocked on a door.

A tall woman with long, dark hair and a friendly smile answered. "Hello, Karen."

"This is Olivia," said Karen, putting her hands on Olivia's shoulders. "Olivia, this is Grace. Where's your husband?" she asked Grace.

"He's at work right now, but he'll be home in about an hour. Would you like something to eat or drink?" asked Grace.

"No, thanks," said Karen. "I have a bunch of things to do – Olivia, are you okay here?"

Olivia looked a bit uncomfortable and clung to Alex. It made Alex sad how much her friend had changed. When they'd first met, Olivia had been so tough, but now, she was clingy and seemed to have lost her spirit. She hoped her friend could recover what she'd lost.

"Yes," whispered Olivia. "Bye, Alex."

"Bye, Liv. I'll see you tomorrow at school, right?"

"Right."

Olivia turned and went into the kitchen with her new foster mother. Alex stared after her for a moment before following Karen out to her car.

Karen drove Alex home and for once, she slept soundly, not worrying about Olivia. She knew that for now, her friend was safe, and they'd see each other tomorrow.

It would be like a dream come true.

**Review for chapter eighteen!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review for more!**

The next morning, Alex was sitting anxiously on the curb with Elliot, Fin, Casey, Melinda, Brian, John, Chester, and Kathy. The boys were smoking cigarettes, but Alex was staring off into the distance, waiting.

Sure enough, a couple minutes later, a girl with newly washed and trimmed shoulder-length brown hair and new clothes that fit her climbed out of a car. She waved goodbye to the driver and ran toward her friends.

_Olivia._

"Hey, Benson!" called Fin, high-fiving her.

Olivia grinned and sat down between him and Alex. "Hey, guys," she said, her chocolate eyes dancing with pure joy.

"Good to have you back," said John sincerely.

Olivia beamed. "I missed all of you."

"You've changed," commented Casey.

Olivia shrugged. "I guess."

The bell rang and Olivia took a deep breath. Her friends scurried into the building but she hesitated.

"Come on, Liv," said Alex.

Olivia followed her into their French classroom. It felt good to be back, even with Mrs. Brailin, who glared at her but didn't say a word as Olivia took her old seat next to Alex.

As they started on a French worksheet, Alex whispered, "So, Liv, how are your foster parents?"

"They're actually really nice," replied Olivia. "Grace took me out yesterday to buy some new clothes and to get my hair done, which was nice. We had a girl's day."

"What about your foster father?"

"He's nice," said Olivia. She paused, then added, "I never had a real dad, so I don't know, but I think he's the closest thing I've ever known."

"They're good to you?"

Olivia nodded. "They're nice."

Alex let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "That's good."

Olivia gave her a brief, contented smile. "So what's the answer to number four?"

Alex rolled her eyes. _"Je m'habille."_

Olivia grinned. _"Merci."_

* * *

At lunchtime, Olivia and Alex sat with their friends, just like nothing had ever happened between them. Sandwiched between John and Alex, Olivia felt at ease. Right now, at least, she was safe.

**Review if you want to know what happens next!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: Sorry, I won't be updating for the next week or so for my birthday ****. We're going on vacation and I won't have Internet access. I'll write some more when I get back. **

**By the way, I wasn't too big on this week's episode. The beginning was crap, the second half was interesting though. I loved how Alex ending up taking all the blame for Elliot after she tried her best to prosecute Lena Olin's character even though she didn't believe in it. **** I'm sooooo glad Stephanie March is back for this season!**

**Review for chapter twenty!**

"Liv, do you want to come over?" asked Alex after school.

Olivia gave her a shy smile. "Why don't _you _come over instead?"

Alex grinned. "Sure!"

They packed their bags and walked the short walk to Olivia's new foster home. Olivia unlocked the door and let them in and dropped her backpack on the floor.

"Grace, I'm home!" called Olivia. "Alex is with me."

Olivia's foster mother appeared in the doorway. "Hi, girls. How was school? Did you see Elliot, Olivia? Did he miss you?"

Olivia smiled. "Yeah. It was good to see everyone again."

"Are you very far behind?"

"No, actually."

"Would you girls like a snack?" asked Grace.

Olivia looked at Alex, who shrugged. She turned back to Grace. "Yes, please."

"Okay. I'll bring it to your room in a few minutes if you like."

Olivia smiled. "Thanks, Grace."

"Thank you," echoed Alex, following Olivia to her bedroom.

Olivia's bedroom here was nicer than any bedroom she'd ever had. It was painted sky blue and she had her own canopy bed. She had bookshelves, a desk, and a closet full of new clothes.

Alex sat down on the bed across from Olivia. "She seems nice," she commented.

Olivia nodded. "She is. So is Jonathan – my foster father."

They heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," called Olivia.

Grace opened the door and entered the room. She set a plate of crackers and cheese on the bed next to the girls. "But don't make a mess," she warned.

The girls thanked her and Grace left.

Taking a bite of a cracker, Olivia said, "Do you want to play a game?"

"Okay. What game?"

"Jonathan's teaching me how to play chess. Do you want to play?"

"Sure."

Olivia located the game and started to set it up.

"So, Liv," said Alex casually, moving a pawn two squares forward. "Do you think this is going to be permanent?"

Olivia shrugged. "I don't really have much to say about that. I'm cool if they are, but they'll be sick of me in a month."

Alex gave her a strange look. "Why would they be?"

Olivia moved a rook to capture one of Alex's knights. "I don't know. Just no one sticks with me for long. Honestly, you're the only person who's ever stuck around _this _long."

It made Alex sad to hear her friend self-deprecate. She moved her queen to the edge of the board and didn't say anything.

They played in silence for ten more minutes. Then the girls heard the front door open and a jovial voice call out, "Honey, I'm home!"

They looked at each other and exchanged smiles; it was a line from a movie. "That's Jonathan," explained Olivia. "Let's go say hi."

She and Alex left the game for a moment and went out to greet Olivia's foster father.

"Hey, Liv," he said with a smile, holding out his hand for a high five.

She smiled. "Hi, Jonathan. This is my best friend, Alex. Alex, this is my foster dad."

"It's nice to meet you," said Alex politely, holding out her hand.

He had a strong, firm handshake that made Alex feel immediately at ease. She could tell why Olivia liked him.

"Is Alex staying for dinner?" Jonathan asked Olivia.

Olivia shrugged comfortably. "Haven't gotten that far yet. Lex, are you staying for dinner?"

"Can I?"

"Sure," replied Olivia.

"You're welcome here any time," Jonathan added. Seeing the look on Alex's face, he explained, "Liv's told us all about you, Alex, and you're a very, very good friend."

Alex smiled. "Thanks."

"Do you girls want to order a pizza for dinner?"

"Okay," said Olivia, pretending to think about it. "I'll have . . . um . . . cheese, as usual. And Alex will, of course, have the same."

They both laughed and although Alex felt a bit left out, she smiled at their casual banter, glad Olivia was getting along so well with her foster father.

She was happy that her friend, for once, was getting the love and care that she deserved.

* * *

Olivia and Alex were sitting in geography class the next day. Olivia was copying Alex's vocabulary list as Alex leafed through the textbook.

"What's this word, Lex?" whispered Olivia, tapping her on the shoulder.

Alex peered at the word. "Acculturation."

Olivia made a face. "Are you sure?"

Alex nodded.

"What does it even _mean_?"

Alex sighed. "Just copy. Isn't that why you wanted my notes in the first place?"

Olivia nodded. "I get the notes without having to do any work. Besides, your writing's neater than mine."

"Aw, thanks, but that's not saying much," quipped Alex.

They both laughed as their geography teacher came over to them and knelt down next to Olivia. "Olivia," she said. "They need you in the office."

"What did I do now?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

The teacher shrugged. "I don't know. Just go."

Olivia heaved a great sigh to show exactly how much this was inconveniencing her. "Okay . . . see you at lunch, Lex."

She slung her bag over her shoulder and left the room. Alex stared after her for a moment, concerned, but then she shook away her worry. Olivia was fine. They probably just wanted to deal with a paperwork issue in her registration. Or something.

But at lunchtime, Alex sat with Elliot and the others, waiting for Olivia, and she never showed up.

When the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, Alex raced to the office. "Excuse me," she said to the secretary. "Was Olivia Benson here?"

The secretary handed her the sign-out log. Sure enough, there was Olivia's name, but it wasn't in her handwriting.

Alex's heart raced as she turned back to the secretary. "Where did she go?"

The secretary shrugged. "Her mother picked her up for lunch, I think?"

Alex's pulse quickened even more and her heart skipped a beat. "You mean Grace, her foster mother?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know."

"W-what did she look like?"

"Bottle blonde, tall, looked a bit . . . unsteady, if you know what I mean."

The world started spinning and Alex grabbed onto the counter to steady herself. It was definitely Serena Benson.

**Sorry; I know this a major cliffhanger and now you're going to have to wait a whole week. Life sucks. **** Review for more!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: Okay, guess what. I lied! We have managed to get Internet access here even though it costs a LOT of money (I consider myself very lucky because my dad can't survive a week without a computer). So I actually have some time on my hands and I'll do an update even though my computer is really puny and hard to type on and I hate it and the Internet is reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally slow. My dad's sleeping but I'm not so tired so, being the pathetic person I am, I'm watching old Law and Order SVU episodes from season one and writing this. I'm watching **_**Slaves **_**and **_**Stalked**_**, which happen to be my two favorite episodes from the first season.**

**I know it's really short, but I don't have **_**so **_**much time on my hands, Sorry if this chapter isn't up to par; don't be too hard on me. I'm on vacation!**

**Review for more!**

Olivia sat, trembling, in the back seat of her mother's sedan. "Mom," she managed to choke out. "Where are we going?"

Her mother didn't reply, just kept driving.

Olivia wrapped her arms around herself. She was starting to panic. "Where are we going?" she repeated.

"Somewhere they'll never find us," replied her mother, not taking her eyes off the road.

Olivia folded her hands to keep them from shaking. She tried to think. She didn't have a cell phone, so she couldn't call Alex or Karen or the police. No one knew where she was – no one would even notice she was gone until it was too late.

Olivia leaned her head back in her seat and tried to memorize the landmarks she passed. She was sure they'd left the city; probably they'd crossed state boundaries too. Maybe they were in New Jersey by now.

She was wrong. Twenty minutes later, they reached the border to Canada. Olivia stared at her mother in horror. "Mom," she whispered desperately. "I'm sorry about – about everything I did."

"That's not good enough, Olivia," said her mother and Olivia detected a hint of emotion in her voice, maybe even sadness as she rolled down her window and showed their passports.

The Canadian glanced at them and handed them back. "Enjoy your stay in Canada."

Olivia closed her eyes, knowing as her mother drove across the border that she'd blown her chance.

Finally they reached a small motel in downtown Toronto. Olivia only recognized the city because of the CN Tower; she'd never been to Canada before in her life.

"Out," her mother ordered and Olivia exited the vehicle. She tried not to show her mother her fear.

Serena Benson yanked her daughter by the hand to a small room in the motel and shoved her onto the bed. Olivia quaked in terror, burying her head in the moth-eaten pillow on the bed.

"Why?" hissed her mother, leaning down close to whisper in Olivia's ear.

Olivia tried to be strong. She wouldn't show her mother how frightened she was. "Get off me!" she shrieked.

Her mother reached out and smacked Olivia across the face, once, twice, three times. Olivia clutched her cheek and bit her lip so she wouldn't cry out.

"You – little – whore!" whispered her mother. "I'm gonna do to you what you did to the man I loved – more than I ever loved you! You are _just like your father_!"

**Sorry, once again, I know it's not too great but I have no more time tonight. I'll update when I can.**

**If you want chapter twenty-one, please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: I managed to catch this week's episode even though we're away and it was really good (this was more of an Alex episode, which was a treat because I love Alex episodes) but I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT STEPHANIE MARCH IS LEAVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Again. How many times will I have to say goodbye to my favorite ADA? This actually makes three. Luckily though, she's safe and isn't going back to WPP, so we can always bring her back (hint, hint, Dick Wolf). But still . . . Alex is my **_**favorite**_**. Humor me, please (or just skip over this and go onto the story . . .).**

**When Alex said goodbye, I was waiting for Olivia to hug her, pat her on the back **_**something **_**to externalize the emotions they both felt, but damn Dick Wolf for never letting anyone touch (except in **_**Paternity**_**, but that's another story).**

**Okay, if Alex isn't coming back, then at least let Casey. It's been a year so she's not disbarred anymore and SVU needs a real, **_**permanent **_**replacement who understands them, not like Greyleck or Paxton, or even Abbie; much as I love her, she doesn't fit too well with SVU. At the beginning, I hated Casey with a passion (simply because she wasn't Alex), but after her antics in **_**Poison**_**, she started to grow on me.**

**So, that's the end of my rant. Thank you for listening and now . . . on with the story!**

**(Sorry, again this one is really short but it's all I had time for.) Review for more!**

Alex Cabot, for the first time in her entire life, skipped her afternoon classes and she didn't even care.

She ran the twelve blocks to Olivia's foster home and pounded on the door.

Grace opened it almost immediately and Alex saw concern flash across her face. "Alex, honey, is something wrong?"

"It's Olivia!" Alex burst out. "Her mother took her! I didn't know until now and I don't know where they are! Grace, please, please hurry!'

Grace's face drained of its color. She grabbed the phone and dialed 911.

* * *

Alex sat with Grace on the sofa, trying to stop her hands from trembling, struggling not to cry as they waited for Jonathan and the police to arrive.

Grace put her arm around Alex. "It's going to be okay," she murmured. "We'll find her."

Alex leaned into her, realizing all at once why tough-as-nails Olivia loved her foster mother so much. Alex's mother hadn't held her since she was a small child and Olivia's mother had never held her at _all_.

They heard a knock on the door and Grace got up to answer it. Alex, suddenly feeling clingy although she was no longer a child, clutched Grace's hand. She didn't know what it was but there was something comforting about Olivia's foster mother.

Grace invited the police officers in. She located Olivia's most recent school photo and handed it to one of the detectives, who introduced himself as Detective Cragen.

"Thank you," he said, taking it. "We're going to send out an Amber Alert and notify Interpol. They're not going anywhere, ma'am. We'll find them."

Detective Cragen interviewed Alex while another detective talked to Grace. "When did Olivia leave the classroom?" the detective asked Alex.

"Um, maybe ten minutes into geography. Second period. Around maybe 10:30 or so," she replied.

"And when did you realize she was gone?"

"At lunchtime, she wasn't there and I got worried. We always eat together. So I went to the office and asked if they'd seen her. They said she left with her mother and showed me the sign-out sheet. Olivia had signed out, but it wasn't in her handwriting."

"Was it in her mother's?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know what her mother's handwriting looks like."

"Then how do you know it was her mother who took her?" asked Detective Cragen.

Alex rolled her eye. "Her mother abused her for years. I saw the bruises, Detective."

The detective nodded and wrote something down. "Okay. Thank you, Alex. We're going to find your friend."

Alex nodded, although she didn't really believe him. Serena Benson was dangerous. If she wanted to hurt Olivia, she would, and no one was going to stop her.

**Review for the next chapter!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: So, I'm back from an AWESOME vacation! Lots of updates coming your way. **

**By the way, I know that it probably wouldn't happen this way, but bear with me.**

Finally, Serena Benson had passed out on the floor, drunk. Olivia was a mess, but she was alive and that was all that mattered.

Olivia winced as she pulled herself up from the ground. She rolled her sleeves as far down as she could to disguise the purple bruises on her wrists. She had one chance to escape and she wasn't going to blow it.

She managed to crawl about three feet before she passed out along with her mother.

* * *

Alex wasn't sleeping. She spent the night tossing and turning her bed, thinking about Olivia, wondering where she was right now. Was she okay? Was she even alive?

Suddenly, it occurred to Alex and she sat up straight in bed. She remembered something Olivia had told her about her mother – something about Toronto.

* * *

Serena woke up to find Olivia revived, trying to crawl out the door. With a badly broken leg, this was no easy feat.

Her mother grabbed Olivia by the arm and yanked her up. She smacked her across the face and leaned down close. "Thought you were gonna leave me?" she slurred.

Olivia's eyes widened with fear. She was trying to be brave, but her mother, much as she hated to admit it, still frightened her.

Her mother dragged Olivia toward the closet and shoved her inside. She locked the door, leaving her terrified daughter in the small, dark closet, clutching her knees to her chest and shivering. She was going to die here.

* * *

Alex grabbed the phone off her desk and dialed the number Detective Cragen had given her. "Hello?" he answered.

"Detective Cragen," said Alex. "I'm sorry to bother you in the middle of the night but I think I might know where Olivia is!"

* * *

It had been several hours. Olivia was hungry and she needed to use the washroom. She wondered if her mother was going to let her out or if she was going to just leave her here.

Serena was still in the room. Olivia could hear her mother drinking a bottle of vodka and then she heard her mother fall to the ground again, passed out.

She wondered if anyone was coming for her. She wondered when they'd arrive. She wondered _if _they'd arrive.

* * *

"I want to come," Alex told Detective Cragen.

"I'm sorry, Alex," he said. "But you can't."

"I know she's there!" insisted Alex. "I want to see her."

"You'll see her later," the detective assured her.

"No!" shrieked Alex. "I can give you the directions – I can tell you more – I can help you!" She was hysterical and she knew it, but she needed to make sure. She trusted Detective Cragen, but not explicitly enough to trust him with her friend's life.

The detective sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Get into the car."

* * *

Olivia slept a bit, but she knew she had to remain vigilant. She tried to think of a way to escape, but there wasn't one. She would just have to wait and see. What a sad existence she lived when the only thing she had to look forward to was her mother opening the closet door and beating her again.

Suddenly, she heard the motel room door open. She held her breath, praying that her mother hadn't brought home a man, a man that would hurt her just like Jason had.

She heard a voice shout, "Police!" and her eyes widened in surprise. Someone was here for her!

"Where is she?" she heard a voice scream at Serena. It took her a moment to place the voice and when she did, she was sure she must be dreaming. It was _Alex_! What was Alex doing here?

"Serena Benson," growled another voice, a deep one that she didn't recognize. "Where is your daughter?"

Serena moaned in response but Olivia heard footsteps approaching the closet. She opened her mouth, trying to warn them, trying to tell them that she was here, but nothing came out.

"Olivia, are you in there?" asked the man.

Olivia tried to say yes, but she couldn't speak.

"Stand back, okay?" said the voice. "We're going to break down the door."

Olivia crawled back a couple inched and closed her eyes, bracing herself.

There was a crash as the door crumbled and then a flash of light. She buried her head in her knees as footsteps ran to her. She could hear the man saying, "It's okay, Olivia, you're safe now," as he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of that horrible place, but she cringed and shied away from him.

He put her down when they got outside the closet and she heard him distantly say, "Serena Benson, you're under arrest."

Then she heard another shriek, that seemed far away, but it was Alex's voice! She ran to Olivia and wrapped her arms around her trembling friend. "Liv," she whispered. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Olivia's unfocused eyes adjusted to the light and Alex came into view. She hugged her friend back and tried not to cry. She was okay. She was safe. Everything was going to be fine. She'd been brave and she'd survived it.

She heard Alex murmur in her ear, "And no one's ever going to hurt you again."

**Should I end it here or should I do one or two more chapters? What do you think?**

**Review, as always!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: Okay, so I decided to do three more chapters. **** We just got back from an awesome vacation (and a 10 hr plane ride in which the entertainment system stopped working so I read four books . . .) and now I have homework. Sad. **** But I'll give you another update because I'm nice like that.**

**Review for more!**

After Olivia got checked out at the hospital, Detective Cragen drove both girls back to Olivia's foster home. They clung to each other, not wanting to be separated under any circumstances as the detective opened the car door for them and they climbed out. Alex clutched Olivia tightly as they walked up the steps.

Olivia cringed and shrank back as the detective pounded on the door. Alex squeezed her hand comfortingly.

Jonathan opened the door, his arms wrapped protectively around his wife. Grace turned white and gasped when she saw Olivia. She let go of her husband and held her arms out to Olivia, tears swimming in her eyes. "Olivia, baby," she whispered. "I'm so, so glad to see you."

Olivia shied away at first and looked at the ground, but as Grace stepped closer, Olivia let out a deep sigh and melted into her, reveling in her foster mother's warm embrace as she struggled not to cry. Jonathan wrapped his arms around Olivia and Grace, joining their embrace.

Alex watched them for a long moment, knowing it would be wrong to intrude on such a private scene. She shifted uncomfortably, not sure where to look.

Detective Cragen tapped Alex lightly on the shoulder. "I'll drive you home," he offered.

Alex nodded. "Thanks." She turned back to Olivia. "Bye, Liv." She smiled, knowing her friend was going to be just fine.

Olivia lifted her head. Her huge chocolate eyes glistened with tears. "See you tomorrow, Lex," she whispered. Hesitating, she added, "Thank you."

Alex turned to follow Detective Cragen back to his car, but Olivia's soft voice stopped her.

"Lex?"

"Yes."

Two tears streaked down Olivia's cheeks like large, wet pearls as she said quietly, her voice breaking with emotion, "Lex, you're the best friend I ever had."

Alex smiled at her. "You too, Liv." She gave her friend one last wave and followed the detective into his car.

Olivia sighed and leaned back into Grace, who stroked her hair.

Finally, Jonathan stepped back and said, "I don't know about you ladies, but I think we should take this inside."

Grace half-smiled and let go of Olivia. The three of them went inside and sat down in the family room. Olivia closed her eyes and curled up on the sofa, resting her head on the armrest. Grace comfortingly rubbed small circles onto Olivia's back.

"Grace," said Olivia softly. "I'm sorry." She didn't know exactly what she was apologizing for, but she'd caused a lot of trouble for her foster parents and they'd never been anything but kind to her.

Grace shook her head and squeezed Olivia's hand. "Sweetie, this wasn't your fault. We were just worried, that's all, because we care about you so much. Olivia, if anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."

Olivia bowed her head but didn't say anything.

Jonathan got up to come sit next to her. She cringed at first, but then she rested her head on his shoulder and let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Sometimes, Olivia, bad things happen to good people," he said gently. "It's our job to take care of you, and we will, no matter what. We're just so relieved that you're okay."

She began to cry silently. Her foster parents truly loved her. They were such good people.

She didn't deserve them.

She fell asleep on Jonathan's shoulder and he carried her to her bedroom as if she was a baby. He and Grace tucked her into bed and they each gave her a kiss goodnight. "'Night, Olivia," whispered Grace, turning off the light. "Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." It was a joke between them. Of course there were no bedbugs here, but there _had _been bedbugs when Olivia had lived with her mother.

Grace left the bedroom door open a crack, just as Olivia liked it. Then she turned to her husband. "Do you think we should tell her tomorrow like we planned, or should we wait a bit? She's been through so much in such a short time."

"It's up to you, honey," said Jonathan. "But this might be what she needs right now. The sooner we tell her, the better."

"Okay," agreed Grace. "We'll tell her tomorrow."

**Review if you want chapter twenty-four!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Review for the next chapter!**

The next morning, Grace and Jonathan let Olivia sleep as late as she wanted, even though it was a school day. She woke up at 11:20 to sunlight streaming through her window. She sat up and rubbed her bleary eyes, but as they focused, she noticed the time and leapt up in alarm.

Bounding into the kitchen, she saw Grace and Jonathan sitting at the table. Jonathan was reading the newspaper and set it down when he saw Olivia. "'Morning, sleepyhead," he greeted her. "Sleep well?"

Olivia shook her head frantically. "I'm late! How come you didn't wake me?"

Grace smiled at her. "We thought we'd let you sleep in today."

Olivia was immediately wary. "Why?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing. She knew from experience that any deviation from routine was bad news.

Grace cleared her throat. "Actually, we want to talk to you about something."

Olivia's apprehension turned to fear. She knew what was coming. "I'm sorry about last night!" she blurted out.

Grace looked confused. "Olivia, that wasn't your fault." She put her hand on Olivia's arm. "I thought we'd discussed this."

Olivia shook it off. "Please let me stay here!" she begged. "I don't want to go away!"

Then her foster mother understood. "Sweetie, you misunderstood. I promise, no one's going to make you go anywhere you don't want to go. That's not it at all."

"Oh," said Olivia in a small voice, still feeling slightly suspicious.

Grace took Olivia's hands in her own. "Olivia, how would you feel about staying with us for good?"

Olivia just stared at her. "For – for forever?"

"Yes, honey. Olivia, you're a very special girl," said Grace, smiling at her. "We'd like to adopt you."

Olivia suddenly felt lightheaded. She understood what it meant to be on "cloud nine", because she felt like she was floating. "I'd – I'd like that!" she said, giddy with excitement. "That would be –" Her emotions got the better of her and she burst into tears of joy, hugging Grace. She looked up at her and said again, "I'd like that." Then she tried a word out on her tongue that she hadn't used in a long time. "Mom."

The word that had always given her a bad taste in her mouth no longer connoted destruction. This time, it felt just right.

**If you want the final chapter, write me a review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Dick Wolf.**

**Author's note: So, here is the last chapter we've all been holding our breaths for. Duh duh duh! Hope you enjoyed the story.**

**Please drop me a review if you like the story. **

Six months later, Alex and Olivia were sitting on Alex's bed, poring over French verbs. "_Aller_," recited Olivia. "To go. _Dormir_: to sleep. _Être_: to be. _Devoir_: to have to. _Grandir_: to get fat."

Alex giggled. "That is definitely _not _what _grandir _means."

Olivia groaned and hurled the textbook across the room. "Can we stop now?"

"Hey!" Alex leapt up to retrieve the fallen book. "Don't do that. My mother will have a fit!"

Olivia sighed. "Lex, we've been working for _hours_. I'm never going to learn them. I'm going to fail the test. I'm resigned to my fate. Let me be peacefully miserable."

Alex laughed. "We've only been working for half an hour, tops, and they're really not that hard if you just _focus_."

Olivia shrugged. "Whatever. Brailin just wants an excuse to fail me anyway, so why shouldn't I have a little fun? What kind of crazy bitch can expect us to learn eighty verbs in a weekend?"

"Most of them you should already be familiar with, since you learned them in grade four," Alex pointed out.

"That's assuming I actually paid _attention_ in grade four."

Alex snickered. "Fine then. You win. Let's take a break." She gave her friend an impish grin. "Did you notice how Elliot's been checking you out?"

Olivia waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, right. Stabler already _has_ a girlfriend, in case you forgot."

"You guys would be cute together," commented Alex.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "We've known each other since we were little kids. We've been friends since I was four. Nothing more. Besides, he's a _senior_."

"I never noticed," quipped Alex.

Olivia grinned. "Aren't you glad you had me to help break you in when you were new?"

Alex chuckled. "Yes. I never would have known about the unwritten 'freshmen can't date seniors' rule."

Olivia hesitated. "Well, it's not exactly a _rule_."

"That's good," said Alex, a knowing gleam in her eye.

Olivia gasped. "Who is he?"

Alex's clear blue eyes were dancing as she shook her head and crossed her heart. "I'll never tell."

Olivia punched her friend lightly in the shoulder. "Hey, no fair!"

Alex raised her eyebrows. "Back to the French now."

Olivia groaned. "Is it Brian?"

Alex made a disgusted face. "No!"

"Chester?"

Alex paused a second too long before saying, "Who says he's part of our gang?"

Olivia smirked. "It is, isn't it? Wow, you like them _old_! And you never even told me!" She pouted. "I tell you _everything_."

"It's nothing serious," said Alex quickly. "He's going to college in September anyway. It's just a thing."

"By 'thing,' you mean 'fling, and the Alex Cabot I know doesn't do fling."

Alex shrugged. "We'll just have to wait and see." She opened the textbook. "Now what'll it be – the rack or the thumbscrews?"

Olivia sulked. "_Pouvoir_: to be able to. _Vouloir_: to want. _Lire_: to read. _Sortir_: to exit. _Rire_: to laugh. _Goatire_: to turn into a goat."

Alex rolled her eyes. "That one isn't there. God help you, Liv."

Olivia started to reply when the doorbell rang. She smiled sweetly at Alex, proud that she had evaded further torture. "Saved by the bell. That would be my mom."

Alex smiled to herself. It was still strange to hear Olivia say that, but from what she knew of Grace, Olivia was one very lucky girl.

"She'll come up here," said Alex. "I think we have time for one more, don't you?"

Olivia shook her head. "Nope." She slammed the textbook shut.

The girls heard a soft rap on the door. "Can I come in?" called Grace.

"Sure," Alex called back.

Grace opened the door. "Hi, Alex. It's time to go, Olivia."

Olivia stuck her tongue out at Alex. "Bye, Lex," she said sweetly. "At least now you r conscience is clear. You can tell Brailin we studied together and it won't even be a lie." Seeing the skeptical look on her friend's face, she amended, "It won't be _much _of a lie."

Alex laughed. "Bye, Liv. See you tomorrow. Bye, Grace."

Olivia took Grace's hand and they walked out side by side.

Olivia sighed deeply. This was what _family _meant. Finally, she was home.

THE END

**So tell me if you liked it. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
